Project Oozaru
by Malevolent Reverie
Summary: Twenty-one year old Harper Williams is brutally attacked in her apartment one evening by a strange man who claims to be an alien. He forces her to help him rescue his comrades, putting Harper on a blood-soaked path that stirs an evil beast lurking inside her heart. Cover image by the amazing Moomlu! Goku/OC; A/U; darkfic
1. Case File 001 - Exposition

**A/N:** Hi, guys! :D It's almost two in the morning and I have class tomorrow but screw it, I wanted to give you a sneak peak of my next story! I've gone with the votes and decided on Goku/OC darkfic. Goku will NOT be constantly OOC in this. Only during certain parts. Chi-Chi will still tie in with what I think is a great part for her, and all the other regulars will be included. Everyone is young in this-around their mid-twenties. This means there is no Saiyan-human hybrids and no official couples yet. There will be plenty of Saiyans to go around and as far as I know, this is completely original. I've done a lot of research to make sure I'm not ripping anyone off so I hope you'll all enjoy this. Rating is T for now but will probably go up.

**Warnings:** Darkfic, violence, possible non-con. It usually finds its way into my stories.

**Pairings:** Goku/OC; otherwise all canon.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

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**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 001 - _Exposition_

* * *

Nothing brought me more happiness than being dead-center in a writhing crowd.

I loved every moment of it. The heat, the feeling of someone else's sweat seeping through your thin clothes, the relief when a breeze of fresh air evaporated some of the moisture you were drenched in. I lived for the electricity the night life brought. People became complete animals when the lights were out and strobes flashed overhead. You could see their pupils contract as wild grins spread like a virus, infecting everyone with the insatiable need to _move_.

Alcohol amplified everything to an unbearable level. You lost focus. You danced with strange people and laughed as they grinded against you, mindlessly following instinct. Through the thick haze of liquor, you could feel a pang of embarrassment but the club became a hive mind. The limbic system ruled. The people sitting in chairs shaking their heads at us were simply more evolved.

But I liked acting like an animal. It distracted me from the annoying things in life, like paying rent and going to my tedious job. When I was drunkenly stumbling around the humid club with my friends, I didn't think it was possible to be any happier. I'd laugh all night until my throat was too sore to even let me swallow. Then I'd drink more to soothe the pain and just get even drunker than before.

At twenty-one years old, nothing else seemed particularly important besides having fun. I wasn't concerned with politics or current events or even the stuff going on in my city. It was a big place. I figured I blended in well enough to be one of the sheeple. Throughout high school I stuck out like a bleeding fish in a tank of sharks—_ooo, Harper Williams is an orphan. She never knew her parents. How strange. She must get lonely living with five other kids in a foster home._

The vodka burned down my throat and I winced as someone knocked into me, nearly pushing me off my feet. No, being sad wasn't an option. I was out with my three friends having a blast. I ran a hand through my sweaty brown hair and scanned the crowd to the best of my ability. Bodies swam at a nauseating rhythm, taunting my blurred vision. I groaned as my stomach seized violently and prayed I wouldn't puke all over the dance floor like I had last weekend.

A cool hand groped blindly at my arm and seized it, dragging me through the mass of tangled bodies until we were on the outside. I panted for air and collapsed in a chair at the bar as my friend, Mia, casually leaned on the counter. She was soaked in sweat like I was but her curly hair somehow managed to stay in place throughout the night. It always did. She refused to tell me her secret.

Mia grinned at me, patting her rotund cheeks with a cloth. "I thought I lost you in there. Haven't you had enough to drink tonight, Harper? We should probably find Willow and Rachel before you pass out on the floor. Wait here and don't go anywhere with any strange men."

I sarcastically saluted her and dropped my forehead on the cool countertop, beyond exhausted. Normally Mia and I would banter for a while but my hilarious comebacks were on the back burner as I focused all my energy on not vomiting. I was used to being drunk. The nausea, however, never came easy. I'd end up spending my night snuggling with the toilet bowl while the girls laughed at me.

The pulsating music had been drowned out in the crowd but it was coming back to haunt me now. I hiccupped and covered my ears as a deep bass vibrated the entire building, making people cheer excitedly and laugh and chatter and just make way too much noise. It was utter torment. Thankfully, Mia had known me for almost ten years and she understood my limits better than I did. If I had my way, I'd still be rolling around on the dance floor, puking and getting stepped on by other drunk people.

Mia returned after what felt like a lifetime with our two other friends in tow. Rachel was just as wasted as me and we gave each other a celebratory high-five. She was tall and lean; the kind of girl you saw modeling clothes in magazines. She had fiery red hair and a personality to match. She was wearing her favorite outfit for clubbing: a skimpy skirt with an equally revealing belly shirt.

Willow rolled her eyes at our behavior, straightening her glasses. She was the straight edge, the one who kept us from getting thrown in prison and knew all the rule books. She didn't drink but always agreed to come along to be our designated driver and keep an eye on us. I'd known her the longest next to Mia. She was our next-door neighbor's daughter and was really into science, much like my sister. She had blonde hair cut in a bob with a practical sort of outfit. Jeans and t-shirt were her default.

Of course, that left my foster sister, Mia. Mia was… well, she was the mother. She kept all of us firmly in line but knew when to kick back and have fun sometimes. She got along best with Willow but we had a lengthy, stormy history together that kept us close. She was a bit pudgy and the boys we lived with used to pick on her until I threatened to break their toys. Thus, we became best friends. Inseparable.

"You're so cute when you're drunk!" Rachel giggled, tapping me on the nose.

"You're cuter!" I squealed in response.

"This is just pathetic," Willow said. "I'll take the redhead if you can carry Harper. Don't tell me you guys are sleeping at my apartment again. I just cleaned the place up from last time."

Mia laughed and helped me to my feet. "No, I'll make sure Harper is tucked in at home. When she wakes up for work tomorrow she'll feel like an idiot as usual. Maybe I'll come over bright and early for a wake-up call; bright lights and everything. And this time she can make her own breakfast."

"Noo," I moaned as we headed out of the club, "anything but that!"

It was a cool fifty degrees outside, which was normal weather for Vermont. Bennington didn't have a crazy nightlife but there were a few places for us young people to go. I whistled at the bouncers as Mia pulled me along and she quickly told me to shut my mouth, awkwardly waving when we passed them. We'd all taken my little Prius tonight because Willow was worried about getting puke in her SUV.

I was dumped in the back seat with Rachel and we started singing a disjointed cacophony together that was supposed to sound like Katy Perry. The early morning news was relaying quietly under our noise as Willow drove off down the street toward the inner city where I lived. Snippets reached my ears but my inebriated mind wasn't interested in retaining much. I was too busy laughing at Rachel.

I really wished I listened to that report. Things would've been much different.


	2. Case File 002 - Feline Intervention

**A/N:** Just want to clear one thing up and mention that Goku is NOT the cat. I figured people might make a jump and assume it is but he definitely isn't. Oliver's behavior will be explored further in later chapters but for now, just know he isn't a shapeshifter or anything. These chapters are filler to help establish the OC better in your minds-I like them to have a rounded personality instead of being a stand-in. Don't worry, the good stuff starts next chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

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**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 002 - _Feline I__ntervention_

* * *

"…_People all over Bennington have reported seeing military officials stationed in various parts of the city, saying nothing, but keeping a watchful eye on passerby. When pressed with questions they will simply walk away and refuse to answer them. This is one the oddest—"_

My hand came crashing down on top of my alarm clock, silencing the droning news report. I moaned softly at the sunlight streaming through my window and managed to sit up far enough to grab my cell phone off the nightstand. The effort made my pulse pound so hard I thought I would pass out again. I flopped over on my back to read through my notifications as the hangover had its way with me. I'd stopped lying to myself about stopping. The pain was bearable most days and was totally worth it.

A few numbers I didn't know texted me and I quickly deleted them before moving on the ones that mattered. It was normal for me to hand out my number to random people when I was drunk but they'd all give up on contacting me after a while. I groggily texted Mia back to tell her I was feeling crappy but otherwise alive, and told Rachel and Willow I'd treat all of us to dinner as an apology. The throbbing behind my eyes made it impossible to keep them open so I sighed and curled into a ball.

I'd already texted my boss to let her know I had to come in for a night shift. Claire was pretty cool so she didn't mind very much, as long as there was a waitress to bring people their food. Humphrey's was a small bed and breakfast on the outskirts of town where travelers would frequently stop for a quick, inexpensive meal and maybe a night of rest. They all posted rave reviews of the food online and word spread fast, making us pretty busy during the tourist season. Thankfully it was autumn. The leaves were changing, the temperature was dropping, and I didn't have to deal with as many screaming kids.

The small apartment I lived in was fine with me. Bennington was a safe, clean city; quite different from the ones in the nearby New York. I could cover my rent easily and still have plenty of money left to play around with so I never bothered with going to college. No one pushed me to. I liked my job and I liked my friends and college meant I might lose both.

I rolled out of bed, collapsing on the plush tan carpet with an agonized groan. My stomach roiled as I crawled along the floor to my bedroom door—why was it so far away?—and kept my eyes firmly shut to quell my nausea. If I could hold it until I reached the toilet then I could throw up the entire day. The thought of it filled me with dread and I desperately dragged my pained body through the apartment, passing through my vacant kitchen on the way. The cold linoleum soothed me somewhat.

But I still couldn't make it all the way to the bathroom. I went stiff near my front door and planted my face on the carpet, waiting for sweet, merciful unconsciousness to take me again. Hopefully I wouldn't throw up while I was sleeping. That happened a few times and it was not a good experience to wake up covered in your own bodily fluids. I shuddered as I heard a key crunch in the lock.

Mia stepped inside, dirty blonde hair pulled up in a tight ponytail. She scanned the room for a few seconds before promptly looking down at me, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. I laughed sheepishly into the carpet and she bent down to pull me up and help me lean against the wall. She worked as a receptionist for a lawyer and always seemed to be dressed the part. Tweed skirt, blouse, high ponytail, unassuming lipstick…

She sat beside me and looked into my eyes; a clash of blues. "So Harper, do you think you have a problem yet? Claire told me you had to switch shifts with that Felicity girl again. If you're going to drink like a fifty year old divorcee, you have to take responsibility for the consequences of your actions. I honestly don't know how you're still alive from the amount you drink. You must be superhuman."

"Nope, just building up an immunity." I closed my eyes to calm the raging pain in the back of my head, shying away from the sunlight. "I'll be fine in a few hours if you guys want to get lunch. I won't get out of work until really late, though. Probably midnight."

"I have to go to work until five and no, we're not going to the club again after. You need to take tonight and today to reflect on your choices and relax. None of us are going anywhere. Why don't you go to the animal shelter and see if you can find a cat to keep you company? You never have guys sneaking out of your bedroom at four in the morning so coming home to a friend might be nice."

"That was only one time!" I snapped. "And it was forever ago. You did the same thing until you met Seth but now you think you're cool because you're engaged." I eyed the huge diamond on her finger and snorted disdainfully, crossing my arms. "You promised we could get married at the same time when we were kids. Dirty liar."

"If you stopped getting drunk at shady clubs you might meet a nice guy. Alcoholics don't make good husbands." Mia glanced down at her watch and rose, patting on the head. "I have to go. Remember, come home tonight and just unwind. Go get a cat. But for god's sake, don't go out tonight. Seth and I have a lot to do tomorrow so I can't babysit you."

I grunted in response and she left with a small smile, leaving me alone in my apartment. My aggravation had pushed away a lot of the hangover so I was able to stumble to my feet and walk to the bathroom for a shower and good teeth-brushing. I stepped out of my clothes and checked my body for any bruises while the hot water started up. None. That was a surprise. I'd be really grinding against a few people. It was weird, but I'd always been able to take a beating since I was a kid.

The hot shower seemed to be encouraging my memories to come back. I leaned my head back as I thought of all the times I got in fights with the boys in my foster home, pummeling them until our mother had to rip me off, kicking and screaming. They brought me in for therapy—said I needed anger management—but I wasn't really mad. I liked the thrill of the fight. Hell, I just liked anything that got my blood going. Dancing, fighting, running, drinking, sex.

I scrubbed the dirt out of my hair. Maybe Mia was right. Maybe I wasn't human.

When I was finished I hopped out of the shower and brushed my teeth in the big mirror over my sink. I began to feel better as I blow-dried my hair and the sad thoughts evaporated with the droplets of water. Having a cat in my apartment would be kind of nice. I liked dogs but they were even more work that I didn't want to invest in an animal. Yeah, I'd get myself a cute little kitten to keep me company.

Back in my bedroom I put on a simple outfit to go cat-hunting in and grabbed my car keys, wallet, and cell phone of my nightstand. I still had a few hours before work, giving me plenty of time to find the perfect cat and get him settled in at home. I made sure all the lights were off in the apartment and headed out into the hallway, shutting and locking the door behind me.

September was still pleasantly warm. I didn't have to turn on the heat in my car and the drive to the local animal shelter was only half an hour. It was already two in the afternoon so I had to boogie to make sure I could get the cat and everything he needed in time to go to work. I weaved through traffic, listening to music on the radio and partially singing along. It was a beautiful sunny day.

The first hint came when I drove by town hall and saw armed guards stationed outside. I stopped at the red light instead of running through it and peered curiously at the men in uniform toting heavy-duty guns that looked like they could take out an elephant. There were five of them patrolling the perimeter, occasionally speaking into walkie-talkies and ignoring the flow of traffic. Huh. Must've been a parade coming to town or something.

Soon the strange event was forgotten and I was at the animal shelter. I parked outside and gathered my things before walking into the big building where the barks of dogs could be heard. A girl sitting at the front desk was up to her eyeballs in paperwork and merely pointed me to the door that all the animals were behind. I muttered a 'thanks' and pulled it open to see rows and rows of cats in cages before me.

They all looked so sad that I almost turned and walked out. I looked around for an attendant and found no one, so I waggled my finger in front of a few cats, trying to find the right one. In hindsight, a kitten was probably a bad idea. I didn't have time to litter train and they were loud at night. I tapped my chin as I walked through the room until I stumbled upon a big orange male.

His name was Oliver. He was sitting proudly at the bars of his cage, sniffing when I stuck my finger through the bars to attract his attention. He was pure orange and extremely fluffy, which meant I'd have cat hair all over my things. I grinned at his aloofness and looked around before opening the cage to pet him. Oliver growled a bit but begrudgingly allowed me to stroke his fur. The paper on the door of his cage said he was only a year old and his adoption fee was a mere $50.

"You're coming home with me, kitty cat," I said. "I just need to find a box or something."

There was a stack of cardboard kitty crates near the door. I folded one together and held it out in front of Oliver, drawing the same look of disdain on his face. He hesitantly placed one paw in the box and leapt inside, nearly dragging me to the floor from his weight. Jeez, he was heavy. Whoever owned him before certainly wasn't starving him to death.

I closed the box and snatched the papers off his door then walked back into the lobby to pay for him. The receptionist was busy on the phone and took the money without bothering to ask my name or request ID. I awkwardly thanked her and left the busy place with my new cat.

Once we were in the car, Oliver popped open the top of the box and leapt out to sit in the passenger seat beside me. He yawned profusely and looked out the window at the scenery as we drove back through the city. I'd have to stop at a pet store to grab a litter box and everything else. My heart was racing with excitement. I loved doing things on a whim.

The cat refused to be left in the car when we got to the pet store. He slipped past me before I could stop him and landed neatly on the pavement, sitting patiently while I stared at him in shock. I was expecting him to make a break for it and run but he calmly cleaned his paws. I hesitantly began walking toward the store and he hurried along behind me like I had a leash attached to his neck. It was the weirdest thing I'd seen in my entire life. I'd never owned a cat before but I knew they were supposed to be escape artists.

Oliver pranced along behind me as we entered the store. One of the cashiers blinked in shock, watching while the cat and I headed toward the feline section. I rubbed my arms and looked down at Oliver, who was now leading the way to what he wanted. He delicately pointed to things with his nose and yowled when I refused to pick them up. As we worked on getting a scratching post down, I heard someone clear their throat behind me. Oliver pressed himself against my legs.

"Oh, hi!" I said, smiling at what appeared to be a manager. "I just got this cat and he wouldn't stay in the car. Uh… want me to get a leash or something to keep him on? He's been leading me around the store to pick stuff out so I haven't had much time to—"

The man suddenly held out a collar and leash. "I've already taken the liberty of picking them out for you. We were surprised to see a cat walking around so calmly when most dogs can't even handle it. I'd be happy to bring your purchases up front for you and get that scratching post down."

Oliver flicked his tail in annoyance as I handed our things over to the manager and took the collar and leash. I knelt down on the floor and managed to get them on the cat, though he wasn't very happy about it, and pulled the scratching post off the top level without much effort. We went back to the checkout where the cashier ogled Oliver calmly cleaning behind his ears.

"I've seen him before," she said while I swiped my debit card. "He's from the Humane Society, right? I volunteer there every once in a while and I remember him being a mean little thing, even as a kitten. He must really like you. Most cats can't go outside without getting hopelessly lost."

"This is my first pet so hopefully he stays this well behaved. Thanks so much for the help."

I grabbed all of the things and we left. Oliver jumped back in the car and fell asleep in the passenger seat while I loaded everything into the back. I scratched my head in wonder. What a weird cat.


	3. Case File 003 - First Contact

**A/N:** And so the good stuff begins! Goku is going to primarily be himself but the evil will still come out under certain circumstances. I think that sets a good dynamic so I can tie both sides of him into the story. Also, there's some violence towards the end of this chapter. Nothing huge that really warrants a full warning but figured I'd give people a heads up. Expect this sort of stuff as common in this story. And no, I haven't forgotten about "Spectre." I WILL finish it.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 003 - _First Contact_

* * *

Oliver made himself comfortable back at the apartment. I filled his litter pan and set down some food and water for him before I started getting ready for work. He toured the rooms by himself, occasionally rubbing against furniture to leave his scent and dropping hair all over my carpets. I'd have to spend the bulk of my next paycheck buying one of those expensive carpet cleaners. I had company over pretty frequently and I didn't want any of them finding cat hairs in their drinks.

The cat came back out to the kitchen for his lunch while I ate a bagel and watched with growing curiosity. He had certain intelligence about him that I had never noticed in an animal. Granted, I didn't have pets growing up because my foster parents detested them, but from what I had seen, he was a smart kitty. I puckered my lips and took a sip of my juice while he nibbled on his kibble. I'd have to ask Claire. She had tons of animals running around her house so she'd know what normal behavior was.

"I'll be home later tonight," I said. "Do me a favor and don't destroy everything while I'm gone. Furnishing this place wasn't cheap."

There was nothing that equated to a response. I finished my food and went to my bedroom to put on my work uniform. It was nothing fancy—Claire was pretty casual and let us wear jeans and t-shirts on most days except holidays. I put on something plain and made sure all the windows in the apartment were closed so I wouldn't come home to see my new cat had escaped.

When I left the apartment I sent Mia, Rachel, and Willow a few pictures of Oliver and invited them over to see him the next day. Willow loved animals so she'd be more than happy to give me a few pointers and Rachel could play with him. Mia immediately replied with a 'congrats!' and promised to bring him a few presents when we had his little housewarming party. I smiled as I left my building, heading blindly toward my car parked right outside.

I raised my head to see a squirrel sitting on top of my Prius.

We both stared blankly at one another for a few seconds. I never saw wild animals in my part of the town and couldn't remember the last time I'd seen a squirrel. I furrowed my brow and walked closer, thinking he would get spooked and run off, but he didn't budge. He cocked his head as he chattered to himself and leapt off my car to sit not two feet in front of me on the sidewalk.

I took a step back. He followed, now totally silent. I worried he might be rabid and fumbled with my wallet for my pepper spray but it wasn't necessary. It seemed to realize that I was a human at that point and suddenly took off down the street, climbing up a telephone pole to leapt into a tree.

"Alright," I muttered as I got into my car, "that's the third weirdest thing that's happened today."

The drive to work was moderate; about twenty minutes. Humphrey's was set back in the woods to give visitors a feel for the "rustic charm" of Vermont and the ten rooms we rented out each had a great view of the South Stream Pond. I pushed all my concerns out of head and braced myself for what would probably be a busy night at work. A lot of people came by for drinks and a quick meal outside the city.

I parked just outside and was immediately greeted by a family sitting at the picnic tables outside, laughing as they wiped ice cream off one another's faces. The restaurant was teeming with life and smoke curled from the chimney into the steadily darkening sky. Humphrey's was an old hunting cabin that had been built upon and expanded after Claire inherited it from her parents. She was the sole owner. Her husband, Jack, was a well-known doctor in Bennington.

A fire was roaring in the lobby and the newest waitress, Hannah, was busy trying to keep it burning. Claire was in front seating people and sighed with relief when she saw it was me walking through the door. She was very short, even more so than I was, and had her black hair tied back in a braid at all times. I grinned knowingly and made my way through the busy restaurant to the back, where I hung up my jacket and greeted the three cooks. It was another busy night.

Claire was stacking menus when I came back out and patted her forehead with a towel. "Hey, Harper. It's a good thing you came in late today because we could really use the extra help. I already ask Tanya if she can come in but I highly doubt it. Thank god there are only a few more hours until close."

"How's she holding up?" I asked, gesturing toward Hannah.

"Fine. She's catching on but she doesn't know enough yet to be particularly useful. People have been confusing her for you all night because you're the only brunette working here. It's so nice that they all remember you so well."

Our chatter was cut short by an influx of customers. I spent the entire night on my feet, running food out from the kitchen and trying my best to be polite and friendly under the constant pressure. It looked like Hannah was going to cry a few times but she held it together very well and even helped me out. All the rooms upstairs were booked so we continually had to refuse weary travelers looking for somewhere to bed down for the night. Sweat was beading at my brow by the time ten PM rolled around.

Hannah and I both collapsed in now empty chairs, taking gratuitous sips of water while Claire cleaned up behind the bar. There were a few stragglers relaxing by the fire but the time of big family dinners was long over. I draped myself over the table and tiredly checked my texts to see both Rachel and Willow had replied to me with equal enthusiasm. They couldn't wait to meet Oliver.

"So I bought a cat," I said casually, breaking the silence in the room.

Claire burst out laughing. "Since when do you like animals? Getting too lonely?"

"Nope. Mia said it would be a good idea so I went for it." I scrolled through Facebook to see how many people liked Oliver's picture. Quite a few. Cats were always a hit. "He's really smart. Like, scary smart. He jumped out of the car at the pet store and was just following me around. And right before I came to work a squirrel sat on my car and freaking stared at me for five minutes. Animals are weird."

"My mom breeds Persian cats," Hannah piped up. "Some of the older cats will do that with us after years and years of building trust but it's strange for a young one to. Maybe he needs to see a vet?"

I shrugged. "I guess I can bring him."

The next two hours were spent on general cleanup. Humphrey's didn't open until ten in the morning, which was when we accepted check-out and check-in for the customers sleeping upstairs. I hummed while I worked, wiping down tables and mopping up the mud on the floor so Claire didn't have to do it in the morning. Hannah took care of things in the kitchen with the cooks.

Everything was said and done by midnight. Claire bade all of us farewell and we left with the cooks, heading out into the cool night. I joked with Hannah about a few odd circumstances during the evening and we parted on a good note. Both of us worked together again the next day with a few other waitresses so we wouldn't be nearly as strained as we had been. I situated myself in my car and took off in the opposite direction they were headed back towards the city.

The radio was scrambled, condemning me to a silent drive home. I sighed and reminded myself to buy an MP3 player so I didn't have to rely on our crappy radio towers. It was peaceful all the way back and I once again had a great spot right outside my apartment. My whistling broke the strange silent on the streets as I headed inside and upstairs to see Oliver, who had probably destroyed everything.

I dropped some leftovers Claire had given me on my kitchen counter and began searching the apartment for Oliver without shutting my door or turning the lights on. Sometimes I even left my door unlocked. My downstairs neighbors were quiet and polite people who didn't want to make a fuss, so I had strong doubts they'd risk breaking into my apartment for some worthless junk.

"Ollie!" I called. "Want to try some pulled chicken? It's not half bad."

The cat wasn't even in my bedroom. Perplexed, I dropped my phone on my nightstand and rubbed the back of my neck. Where could he have gone? There were a few good hiding places but he had been so friendly earlier that I expected to come home to see him in plain sight. As I considered texting Mia to ask her to help me find him, I heard a groaning sound from my kitchen. My brow furrowed and I turned to tell whoever was touching my door to cut it out until I heard the lock click into place.

Fear lanced through my heart like a thunderbolt and I froze in place as heavy footsteps approached my room. Oh no. Not me. This couldn't be happening to me. I must've been hearing things. If I could just get my feet to cooperate, I might be able to make it out to the foyer to check. But terror kept me firmly planted to the ground as the person casually came closer and closer to my bedroom, taking their sweet time. Oh god, please let it be a nightmare. Did I fall asleep at work or pass out drunk?

The only light in my bedroom was coming from the thin beams of moonlight outside. It was half full. I felt my whole body turn to ice when a tall shadow eclipsed the entrance to my room and finally noticed Oliver as he ghosted through the doorframe. He meowed lightly, leaping up on my bed and then I saw a pair of blue boots as the person entered my tunnel vision.

There was a tall man completely blocking my escape, garbed in a strange orange outfit with a blue sash tied around his waist. He had eerie black eyes; my first hint that I wasn't dealing with a regular person, and crazy black hair that stuck up in twenty different directions. His face wasn't friendly. He was grinning at me through the darkness, revealing bright white teeth that only served to frighten me further. I stared in blank horror and screamed inside at myself. _Grab the phone before he kills you!_

He leaned on the doorframe and crossed his big arms. "Well what do we have here?"

Evil was etched in every line of his sadistic smile. It was too bad—if it wasn't for that, he would've been pretty attractive. I found my limbs trembling as he laughed and suddenly noticed something flickering behind him impatiently that barely touched the moonlight. My breath hitched in my throat as I watched a monkey tail writhing near the man's thigh while he watched me with cruel delight. Holy shit. He had a tail? No, no, I was losing my fucking mind. I definitely had too much to drink.

"I wonder if you'll break as easy as the others," he murmured, raking his eyes down my body. "It hasn't been easy with the police sniffing around but you'll be my last one before I move on to the next town. Then I'll free the others and we'll crush your insignificant little planet under our feet. Oh, look at me, conversing with the victim again. Do you want to play or die quickly?"

"Wh… Who are you?" I asked.

He looked annoyed. "Kakarot, if you must know. The humans call me 'Goku' but… well, explanations aren't necessary. I'd like to toy with you a bit so why don't you go find yourself a weapon for protection? I'll grant you one minute to do so. Then I'm going to split you open and bathe in your blood."

Oh no. This guy was like a Ted Bundy copycat. Oh no, oh no… was I really going to die? It had to be a sick dream from all the alcohol I drank last night.

I immediately spun around to grab my phone but it wasn't there. When I turned back, Kakarot was holding it in his hand and effortlessly smashed it to pieces, dropping the fragments on my carpet. I stared at him in terror before he stepped aside to let me flee from the room. He examined his nails as I ran down the hall to my front door and desperately shimmied the lock, pounding furiously on the door. I'd never been so afraid in my life; every moment was flashing before my eyes.

The need to survive was intense. I bolted out to the kitchen to grab a frying pan and a knife as the psych ward escapee strolled into the room with a self-satisfied smirk. He shrugged at my choice of weaponry.

"I've been stabbed a few times before. All part of my training. I'll let you take the first shot if you want. I suggest aiming just below my left breast with the knife and maybe crushing my skull after to make sure I'm dead." He slammed his hands down on the table between us, grinning wickedly. "And you can drink whatever leaks out if you promise I can taste yours. "

Something in me that had long lain dormant violently came to life.

I blamed it on the adrenaline and sheer willpower so survive. An inhuman war cry tore out of my throat and I charged toward Kakarot, clearing my table in one leap and pinning him down to the floor. He looked so shocked that I considered not smashing his face with my frying pan, forgetting that it signed my death warrant. He stared at me in wonder that quickly turned to an oddly joyful expression.

"You're one of us!" he said. "I couldn't tell because you're nowhere near being pureblooded—"

Without a moment's hesitation I smashed the frying pan against his skull. He howled in pain and struggled underneath me but I kept slamming it into him until he finally went still, hands falling limp at his sides. I panted and tossed the pan across the floor as blood seeped out of his head and pooled on the floor under the slivers of moonlight. His eyes were still closed as I rose to my feet and accidentally stepped in the puddle of blood on my way to the door.

The episode left me strangely weak, probably from the volume of fear that rippled through me. I tried opening the door again and burst into tears when it refused to budge. What the hell had he done? Was going to be trapped in my apartment forever? I sank to the floor as Oliver padded out into the foyer, pausing to sniff curiously at the blood that was slowly leaking into my living room.

I curled up into a ball and sobbed helplessly. My shoes were covered in blood, there was a dead guy in my kitchen, and my new cat was going to have mats in his fur from rolling around in the bodily fluids. I had no phone; no way to contact the outside world. My apartment was practically soundproof so screaming wasn't going to help. All I could was cry and wait for my food to run out. Would anyone come to check on me? He'd damned me to death either way.

A soft groan made my head snap up and filled me with a dangerous level of fear yet again. I watched in horror as the man rolled on his side and sat up, cradling his now perfectly healed skull. He blinked a few times and looked around in wonder before his black eyes settled on me. He smiled in a friendly manner as Oliver purred and rubbed against his knee. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Hi there!" he said with a small wave. "Who're you? My name is…" He paused, scratching his head as I openly gawked at him. "Goku, maybe? I think that's it. It's very nice to meet you!"

"You should be dead," I said.

"What? Oh, you hit me in the head with that silly frying pan? Why? That isn't very nice."

"You… you were just trying to kill me." I stared at him in wide-eyed terror through the darkness as he looked around the room with a childish glee. "Don't you remember? You broke into my apartment and said something about humans being weak? I couldn't have hit you that hard."

Goku cocked his head. "Guess you did. That's okay, we can be friends! I love making new friends."

There was dried blood caked into his hair. He smiled easily and crept towards me on all fours with the same goofy look on his face like he seriously didn't remember what had just transpired. I shrank back against my door and he stopped, cocking his head like a sad puppy.

"You tried to kill me," I repeated.

"I'm _sorry_, okay?" He sat a few feet away and pouted. "C'mon, let's be friends. What's your name? We can stay up late and talk and jeez I'm pretty hungry. D'you have anything good to eat? Bleh, this whole place smells like blood and fear. We should clean up after we eat."

The man who had almost ended my life continued chattering away while I tried to remember how to breathe. Holy shit. There was a lunatic in my apartment and I had no way out.


	4. Case File 004 - Truth Serum

**A/N:** HI. I might update again later tonight because I'm pulling an all-nighter. This will probably be a lengthy story like 'Spectre' was. If I made any errors toward the end I'm sorry, but I'm freaking tired.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 004 - _Truth Serum_

* * *

Bowls piled up as Goku chowed through my stocks of ramen I kept for emergencies, devouring entire packets in one bite. I stared at him across the table with morbid curiosity: how was he still alive? He should've died after the first few hits with the frying pan. There was still a glimmering pool of blood seeping through the cracks of my tile floor and he didn't seem the least bit phased by it. What _was _he? Some kind of super strong government experiment?

I leaned forward and he glanced up from his bowl without pausing. Now his features were soft and friendly, definitely not the creepy serial killer look he had before. Goku leaned back in his chair when I moved closer and I thought I saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks. He reached up to rub the back of his head and thought better of it when his fingers touched the dried blood in his hair.

Neither of us said anything. Oliver leapt into Goku's lap, purring like a motorboat, and kneaded his paws into his thighs before settling down for a nap. I glared at the traitorous cat as Goku began gently running his hands along his spine, resulting in even more groggy purrs. He was going straight back to the animal shelter so I could get a cat who wouldn't side with the enemy. There was still some blood on his chin.

Goku smiled. "Animals like us. I think it's because we don't feel as human to them."

I immediately moved back. "Please don't tell me your amnesia is fading. I can't keep bashing you over the head all night. I have to work in… oh no, only five more hours?!"

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you," he said. "I don't really want to. Guess you knocked something loose in my head." He hit the side of his skull with an open palm as if he expected his brain to rattle. "But that's okay because I'd rather be friends with you. What's your name? You never told me."

"Uh… it's Harper. Can you tell me why you're here? And why do you have a tail?"

"Oh, this?" The tail unwound itself from his waist and he held it up like I could've mistaken it for something else and needed a visual representation. "I've had it since I was a baby. I was born with it, I think. I don't know, everything's kinda foggy now. I'm from a nice place in the desert where I lived with a few of my friends and this guy who wasn't very nice. I wanted to get away so I did. After a few weeks of wandering I picked up your scent and decided to investigate."

"The desert? Like a facility or a town? What do you mean you picked up my scent? You said something about me being 'one of you' before I hit you over the head."

The strange man was beginning to look uncomfortable. He rose suddenly from the table and scooped up his bowls to set them in my sink. "Harper is your name, huh? It's pretty. I'm not used to names like that. I only knew two girls growing up, Bulma and Chi-Chi. Chi helped me escape my prison."

He began washing the dishes and I realized I wasn't going to get the answers I wanted. I'd have to wait and try again later on. I got up and went to the bathroom to gather a few things to clean up the floor while Oliver padded along behind me, sniffing curiously at the toilet. If the guy wasn't going to snap and try to murder me again I might as well try to get the house cleaned up. I wanted to keep him trapped with me until he told me everything I wanted to know.

So far, I knew Goku came from a desert; some kind of training facility. He was raised to be brutal and aggressive and there were a few others like him whom he had grown up with. Apparently, I was at least somewhat like whatever he was and that was what attracted him to my apartment in the first place. I shuddered as I made my way back out to the kitchen. What the hell was he?

The dishes were already done, neatly stacked over the drying tray, and Goku was staring impassively at the floor. He looked up when I entered the room and smiled brightly, immediately offering to take a few things. I set down some paper towels on the table and organized everything so I'd be able to pick and choose while I cleaned. When I turned back around, the floor was sparkling clean.

Goku didn't seem fazed by my thunderstruck expression. He threw away the dirty towels and dusted off his hands, waiting for me to make the next move. How had he… wait, why was I even bothering with questioning it? The man had a tail wrapped around his waist. He'd probably escaped from some remote prison in the desert and this was just his manic personality shift. I began gathering all the cleaning supplies up again and he was there in an instant to help.

We went back to the bathroom again and put everything away while Oliver looked on. Goku put his hands on his hips and smiled at me, happy as a clam. I couldn't believe it. I shifted my weight to one side and folded my arms with a casual shrug as the cat circled my feet.

"So…" I said. "You want to answer my questions now?"

"Well I don't really remember much. I can see the outlines of my memories but not the details. You can't be like me. You don't have a tail like all of us do. I'm not sure why I came all the way here looking for you because you smell like any other human to … let me think." He tapped his chin, squinting at the wall as he tried to dredge up memories. "I have an older brother named Raditz. There's also Vegeta, Tarble, Nappa… um… those are all the people like me."

I raised an eyebrow at the strange names. "Where are you guys from and what makes you different from humans? Besides the incredibly thick skulls."

"Maybe we should be sitting down when I tell you this. I don't want you to faint or something."

Before I could say anything further he scooped me up off the floor and carried me out of the bathroom. Oliver quickly followed as I protested furiously and nudged my bedroom door open so Goku could bring me inside. He placed me on the bed and frowned when I punched him in the arm, turning red from his unwarranted physical contact. I'd definitely knocked something loose.

"We could've sat in the living room," I snapped.

He flopped back on my mattress and closed his eyes. "Gosh, it's been a long time since I lay down on a bed. I always slept on the floor. I think I could sleep forever."

I leaned back against my headboard with my arms crossed irately. The man tried to kill me and now he was refusing to answer my questions, constantly changing the subject and getting distracted. Not to mention he chowed through my precious stores of ramen. What would I do if I used all my money partying? What if Oliver needed emergency surgery and I had to starve for weeks on end?

Goku's face was relaxed and a small, content smile curved the corners of his lips. He rubbed my comforter between his fingertips and sighed while I began to lose my patience. There was no way I could let him stay in my apartment if he couldn't give me a few details. No, what was I saying?! He couldn't stay either way! He probably escaped a mental hospital in the middle of nowhere and everything he was telling me was just his delusions. Why was I such a sucker for attractive men?

I scowled and nudged his ribcage with my foot. Shut up, Harper. You're not a sucker for anyone.

Goku turned his head to look at me. His eyelids were drooping. "It smells nice in here."

"It's just my perfume."

"Oh. Well I like how it smells. Neither of the girls I knew wore perfume. 'Course, Bulma was always taking my blood or giving my medicine and Chi was training so it usually smelled like blood and fear." He turned on his side and pulled a fistful of my sheets to his nose, closing his eyes again. "But I could smell this all day. It's like cucumbers and water and… something else good."

"Cut it out," I said, leaning forward to yank the sheets away from him. I didn't even want to know what the 'good' smell was. If he had such a strong nose he could follow it directly to my nightstand drawer and find something that would really throw him for a loop.

In a lightning fast motion, Goku seized my wrist and twisted it right side up to inhale where my artery met the base of my palm. He held on so tightly I could feel a bruise forming under his fingertips. I remained perfectly still, waiting for him to decide when he wanted to let me go. My heart pounded as the tip of his nose glided a few inches up my arm, tickling my nerves.

He looked up at me from underneath his dark eyebrows and I was alarmed to see his eyes sparkling with excitement. "You _do _smell good! Huh, maybe that's why I came all the way over here. Still don't think you're one of us but gosh, you smell good enough to eat."

I quickly shook my hand free and he released without much hesitation. Goku turned full circle to lie flat on his stomach and nuzzled his face into my sheets, smiling happily and sighing. It was creepy and a bit sad. Had he been abused his entire life? He looked to be about my age, maybe a few years older, so he could've been one of those kids that was chained up in their basement their entire lives.

A glance at my wrist reminded me that I wasn't dealing with a human. There was a purple hand-shaped bruise that throbbed painfully when I gently prodded it with my fingertip. No human man could've done so much damage without seriously trying, and Goku was only holding me in place.

"I'm from another planet," Goku said suddenly. He looked at me through half-lidded eyes and smiled at my indifference. "Guess you don't find that very surprising. We all came here as babies to conquer your planet. Nappa was first, followed by Raditz, Vegeta, and me. Each time we were captured and moved to captivity and each time, our home planet failed to notice that there was a problem. I was the final one sent before my planet was destroyed. I don't even remember its name… I think it was Vegeta but I could be wrong. Anyway, that's where I'm from. Can we go to sleep now? I'm tired."

I glanced at his tail hanging limply over his thigh. If it wasn't for that, I'd have a hard time believing the story he was telling. So I had an alien in my bedroom after he attempted to murder me and only stopped when I smashed him over the head with a frying pan. Okay. I'd been through worse when I was drunk in the streets. Only downside was that I didn't have a cell phone to text anyone.

"You're running away from this facility?" I said. "What did they do to you?"

"Nothing. I wanted to be free and see what your world looked like. I wanted to destroy things and burn them down and watch people run around screaming." He turned his eyes to me and yawned sleepily. "But I don't want to anymore. I want to sleep and smell nice things, like you. You're the nicest human I've ever met, Harper. Nighty night."

"Wait, I have to work tomorrow and you destroyed my alarm clock!"

"Work? What's a work? It sounds stupid and boring. I think we should sleep tomorrow."

"You don't understand, I'm obligated to work," I said. "Not to mention my sister and friends are gonna come over here looking for me when I don't answer their texts. And you owe me a new phone!"

But it was too late. Goku had already fallen asleep, still smiling in his dreams.


	5. Case File 005 - Multiple Personalities

**A/N:** Ehhh, I don't know, I think I might make Goku plain evil in this. It _is _a darkfic and he _is _pretty close to being a normal Saiyan. I think I'll do it and occasionally make him nice as opposed to doing it the opposite way. What do you guys think? Nice Goku or evil Goku? The evil one is way more fun, IMO. Oh, has anyone seen the anime move "Wolf Children Ame & Yuki"? If not, go watch it right now. It's absolutely amazing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 005 - _Multiple Personalities_

* * *

Paws trampling over my face woke me up the next morning. I yawned and groggily pushed Oliver away despite his protesting yowls, briefly forgetting everything that happened the night before. It was just another day for me. I'd go to work for a few hours, show the girls my new cat, and we'd go out drinking as always. I tiredly pushed myself up in bed and stretched my arms toward the ceiling without opening my eyes. But when I twisted my wrist to rub the back of my head, I yelped in pain.

The bruise was still purple, reminding me that quite a bit had happened the night before. My phone was gone, my door was jammed shut, and no one had any idea that I was in trouble. I couldn't even call Claire to tell her I couldn't make it in to work. I groaned and tried to move the fingers in my left hand but it felt like the digits were frozen in place from misuse overnight. I'd have to ice it for a long time.

I began to panic and hurriedly got out of bed, sending Oliver falling to the floor. Oh no. Goku was probably still here, waiting for me to wake up so he could watch me scream when he killed me. I could still message Mia on Facebook with the computer in the living room. But could I make it? Maybe I was too stressed out from fighting Goku that I couldn't pull the door open. I might be able to now that I was well-rested and had my wits about me. I doubted he'd wait for me to finish begging my sister for help.

My heart was racing as I turned to my window and desperately yanked on it. There was a fire escape right outside so I wouldn't fall to my death or anything escaping. But it was sealed shut—I didn't know how Goku did it but he'd successfully cut me off from the outside world. I pounded furiously on the glass for a few minutes and whirled around to make sure he wasn't hiding in my bedroom, then ran to my door. I'd have to try the window in the living room or maybe in the bathroom.

Oliver followed close behind as I bolted through my apartment to the front door and shimmied the lock until my fingers were raw. My left hand was useless, leaving me one-armed and weak. I screamed and beat my fist against the wood while Oliver sat beside me and absently cleaned his paws. No, no, there had to be a way out. How could he have made my apartment into a prison? I'd have to hurry up and try the computer for help before he realized I—

A big, wet hand clamped over my mouth and I was ripped away from the door. I shrieked and kicked as Goku managed to get me a few feet near the living room before I managed to land a strike between his legs. He hissed in pain and dropped me, but grabbed my ankle before I could get back to my feet. I kept lashing out my legs as he dragged me across the carpet until I was underneath him. He gripped both of my arms in one hand to pin them above my head and covered my mouth with his free hand.

Goku's hair was dripping and he hadn't even put a shirt on. My cheeks turned red as I tried to look away from the strong hints of musculature in his chest that were still beaded with water from the shower. He held me down firmly when I struggled, clearly not in the mood for a fight.

"Calm down," he whispered urgently. "You don't want to attract attention to us or they'll find me. I don't want to go back. If you won't be quiet and do what I say, I'm gonna break your jaw to make sure you can't make a racket anymore. I really don't want to hurt you but I can't go back there."

I shouted into his palm and he tightened his grip, digging his fingers into my cheeks. Spots erupted across my vision and I tugged on his hand with my working arm. Goku leaned in close and forced me to look directly into his black eyes when I struggled to look away. All I could see was the darkness and fear reflecting off his irises back into mine but I glared back defiantly. So much for him being nice.

"I'm serious, Harper. Be very, very quiet." He pressed his forehead to mine. I could feel his warm breath on my mouth. I stopped breathing. "Or else."

A knock from the door shattered the tension between us. Goku raised his head and muttered something then got off me and pulled me to my feet. He dusted me off and wrapped a bandage around my bruised wrist to hide the injury as best as possible. It hurt even worse with pressure being exerted on it. He nodded to the door and I angrily proceeded forward to answer it. Why would it open now if it hadn't the past fifty times I tried it? He hovered behind me, tail flicking nervously.

I scowled. "Hide, you moron! Do you want them to see you?!"

He blinked and vanished in an instant. He was using my shower without my permission, eating my precious stores of food, and now he was threatening me in my own home. Wherever he came from must have been hellish. I heard my bedroom door shut and lock, then turned to try opening my front door again. It cooperated perfectly, allowing me to yank it open and greet my visitor.

Mia immediately hung up her cell phone and tightly embraced me as Claire sighed with relief behind her. Seth was next to them, tall and stern as always and gently massaged Mia's back as they entered my apartment. I was confused—why were they all so happy? I couldn't have been out for that long. What time was it, noon? It was normal for me to miss work every now and then.

"Do you have any idea how worried we were?" Mia demanded, pushing me down on my couch. "God, you look awful! What happened?! None of us have been able to contact you all day! I've been trying your phone and it keeps going straight to voicemail. What happened to your wrist?"

"I… I don't remember. Guess I passed out drunk last night and hurt myself somewhere along the way. I'm so sorry I missed work, Claire. I'll make it up to you."

Claire waved me away. "It's fine, we had more than enough coverage. We're all very concerned, Harper. This kind of behavior needs to end. You're going to get yourself killed one of these days."

"Or you'll worry my fiancée to death," Seth said.

"It's almost six 'o clock. Have you really been asleep this entire time?" Mia sat down beside me and held my hands in her own, searching my eyes. "That isn't good. Maybe they're right. I know you think I'm kidding when I tell you to get help but this is becoming seriously detrimental to your health. You didn't even call to ask me if I wanted to come and keep an eye on you."

"Not that it's her responsibility," Seth added, folding his arms.

For the first time, Seth's snide comments flew over my head. My eyes widened with fear. How had I slept for that long? That was almost fourteen hours! I placed a hand over my injured wrist as I stared at the floor, not listening to the chatter around me. I needed to get Goku out of my house. Fast.

"Well thanks for your concern, guys," I said as I hopped to my feet. "I need to start getting ready for the day so would you mind stepping out? I'll definitely take your advice and see someone about my problem today. Unless you want me to come in later, Claire?"

"Oh no you don't," Mia said, yanking me back down. "You're not going anywhere. Where's your phone? Did you break it or lose it last night? I'll head out and pick up a new one for you but you need to be more careful. This is like the fifth one in the past year. They don't grow on trees, y'know."

"I really do need to start getting ready. Really, the apartment is a wreck and you guys do _not _want to stay here for very long."

"Did something happen last night? We're all trying to help." Claire touched my knee and I flinched from the physical contact. They all needed to get out. I didn't know if Goku was stable yet. They were all in terrible danger if he lost his mind again. "Harper, please listen. I've been considering cutting your hours so you can go back to school. I'll still pay you the same but we all think a degree might help you."

I looked around wildly as the fear crept into my heart. We were all in danger. Why couldn't they listen to me for once and get the hell out? He was lying in wait in my bedroom, probably ready to pounce the second I let my guard down and murder all my friends. Oliver meowed and made his grand entrance into the living room but everyone was talking at once at me, angry that I wasn't paying attention.

The blood in my ears was suddenly too loud for me to hear anything. Goku could come out at any moment and… and… and…

The noises all stopped as quickly as they began. I was covering my ears but risked opening them when I saw everyone staring at something in my hallway. Curious, I followed their gazes and felt my stomach twist uncomfortably before falling straight out of my gut.

Goku was standing there with his tail well hidden somewhere in his pants. He scratched the back of his head as everyone openly gawked at him—I had to admit, even with a shirt on his muscles were damn impressive. He grinned in a way that felt horribly familiar. My chest tightened.

"What's all the ruckus about?" he asked breezily, leaning against the wall. "Harper and I had a long night so we're trying to sleep it off. Isn't that right?" He winked at me.

Claire couldn't even speak. Mia blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes like she was checking to make sure Goku was real and Seth practically seemed to snarl. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. He was showing himself to all of them. That only meant thing: we were all gonna die. Oh well. Life had been short but sweet for me.

"Wh… Who is _this_?" Mia asked.

"His name's Steve," I said quickly before Goku could tell them the truth. "We uh… we met last night. He was nice enough to bring me home after I broke my phone and whatnot. Nice guy, Steve."

Goku laughed, shaking his head slowly. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you remember my name. After all, you couldn't stop saying it—"

I leapt off the couch to cover his mouth before he could say anything else to embarrass me. He was still smirking underneath my palm and pushed against my arms, trying to kiss me on the cheek. When I succeeded in shoving him into the wall he immediately snapped back to grab my uninjured wrist, black eyes glittering with animalistic excitement. Furious, I slapped him across the face. He laughed and threw me into the wall so hard it made a dent and I yelped in pain as I sank to the floor.

Mia got to her feet. "Jesus Christ, where did you meet this guy?!"

"Funny story," Goku said, stepping on my arm like I was a pedestal. "We practically ran into each other. I like your little Harper, though. I'm gonna stay with her for a _real _long time." He ground his heel into my ribcage, grinning wickedly. "We've got an awful lot to talk about."

Seth took a step forward, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, buddy, you need to move on."

I coughed on the floor and threw Goku's foot off me to sit up. "N-no, it's fine. Don't worry about it. Steve and I need to talk about a few things so would you guys mind leaving for a while? This is just how we banter. He insults me, I insult him, and we kick the crap out of each other. Ha ha. Aren't quarrelling lovers so hilarious?"

None of them believed me for an instant. Goku picked up on their disapproval but he didn't seem to care very much. He reached down to yank me up off the floor and dusted me off, paying special attention to my behind until I smacked his hands away. I offered my friends a sheepish smile as Goku's fingers crept into my back pocket and squeezed my bottom. What a complete and utter asshole.

"I'm getting you a phone right now," Mia said. "We're going to talk about this. Seth, let's go. We'll bring a few of your friends from the fire station down. Claire, we'll give a ride back to Humphrey's."

"We can't leave her here," Claire insisted as they headed toward the door.

"It won't be for long. C'mon, Clare. We'll bring back reinforcements."

They left as quickly as they came. As soon as the door shut I rounded on Goku, smacking him hard across the face again. He pouted his lips and rubbed his reddened cheek.

"That is not the way you maintain a low profile," I said. "What the hell was that all about, anyway? You can't throw me around like that! Humans don't put up with that. I bet Mia is gonna bring back to the cops and you'll be on a bus back to that place before you can beg forgiveness. You better be nice to me or I won't let you stay in my apartment. Capische?"

Goku stretched one big palm over my head and grabbed a fistful of the hair at the top of my scalp, eyeing me up and down. I glared back at him angrily. What a jerk! I did so many nice things for him and he couldn't even repay me! I still barely knew him but I opened my home to his rudeness despite every instinct telling me not to. The man tried to kill me, for god's sake. Why hadn't I told them the truth? The police could've thrown him out.

Why did I _want _him to maintain a low profile? I didn't want him sleeping in my apartment. He was unstable and clearly a raging psychopath with split personalities. Maybe if I bashed him over the head a few more times the nice side would come back and sleep all day.

His tail emerged and I felt it curl around my throat. The fur was surprisingly soft and warm. "You're in no position to bargain with me. I could snap your neck and move on to the next human. But… you do have a certain charm. You're feisty. I'd prefer to keep you alive so here's how it's gonna be: you will involve me in your little human life and continue telling your friends I'm the same as them. If you don't, I'd be more than happy to see how fast I can break my hunting record."

"I'll sell you out to the government," I said, wincing as he pulled on my hair. "You seem afraid of them so they must have something to control you with."

"It seems I've stumbled upon my very own trump card; something they can't afford to lose even though they don't know it. If they did, you would be at risk the same as I am. So it's also in your favor to keep your mouth shut and avoid telling any authority figure about me. We're united against them, Harper, and the sooner you realize that, the better."

"You tried to kill me!"

He raised an eyebrow and released my hair, but stroked my cheek with his tail. "That was when I thought you were just another human. You're much more than that. Anyway, now that you know so much I could use your help rescuing my comrades from their imprisonment. Sound fun?"

"No!"

"Oh, goody." He slammed me up against the wall in a flash, smiling coldly. "I love it when pretty girls say no."

We glared at one another for a few moments before he finally let me down and idly sauntered into the living room to sit on the couch. Oliver hopped up to settle in his lap and I clenched my hands into fists as I went back to my bedroom to get dressed. Things were spiraling out of control.


	6. Case File 006 - God Complex

**A/N:** It's happening again. I'm getting writer's block. This may be the last update for a long time.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 006 - _God Complex_

* * *

Mia and Seth returned with my new phone a couple hours later. I had holed myself up in my bedroom to stay away from Goku as long as possible and only emerged when I heard them knocking on the door. He was passed out on the couch, sleeping with his mouth open and long legs draped over the armrest. Oliver was lying contently on his chest and opened one green eye as I passed. I placed a finger to my lips and tiptoed to the front door to let my sister in.

"Why haven't you thrown him out yet?" she hissed as she entered the apartment. He's just another freeloader like the last one. Kick him to the curb before he hurts you."

Seth gave Goku an annoyed glare as I led him and my sister through the hallway to the kitchen. They both sat down and thanked me for their cups of coffee, watching as I tried to keep myself busy. I didn't want to talk about it with them. Goku was still dangerous and he could snap at any time. What I really needed to do was call the police with my new phone. They could haul him out and bring him back to where he belonged. I scrubbed a few bowls while Mia and Seth talked quietly.

I bit my lower lip as I stacked the dishes on the drying rack. All Goku needed was a little affection. He'd never been shown how to interact and live alongside humans so maybe I could help him out with that. Over time he'd grow to like us and learn to live among us as a normal person. Besides, I was damning him to a sad fate if I called the police. He wouldn't be _that _hard to live with. I'd put up with my fair share of assholes and Goku definitely wasn't the worst. Maybe I could clock him over the head again…

Mia cleared her throat. "Um, Harper, will you answer my question?"

I blinked and shook my head to scatter the musings bouncing around. When I turned, Mia was watching me with concern and Seth looked just plain annoyed. I smiled at them and set down my drying cloth to sit across from them at the table, neatly clasping my hands in my lap. I'd have to get them on board first. Mia wouldn't hesitate to tell someone if she thought I was in danger.

"We've uh… known each other for a long time," I said. "Steve came back into town and needed a place to stay so I offered mine. He's a really nice guy, but we play rough sometimes." I awkwardly twisted my fingers, struggling to keep up the lie. "You caught him at a bad time. He was tired, that's all."

"You never told me about him. You tell me about every guy you've been with." Mia slapped Seth's hand absently when he reached for an apple in the fruit basket. "Cut it out, you know you're allergic."

"Well Steve and I weren't together," I said as my sister grew more distracted by her fiancé. "We were friends. We still are. To be honest, I think he might be gay. But you have nothing to worry about. He's sort of rough around the edges but he'll grow on you eventually."

"Alright," Mia sighed. "I'm trusting you on this. Let me know if you need anything."

Thankfully, my sister was too distracted arguing with Seth to stay any longer. I saw them to the door, making sure we were quiet passing a still unconscious Goku, and waved as they walked off down the hall. I hung at the door for a few seconds until they got on the elevator, hoping I could keep up my lie. No one could know Goku's true origins. That would sign his death warrant.

"You're a terrible liar."

I spun around to see Goku sitting up on the couch, arms stretched out across the back. His legs were open and he was watching me with vague interest as Oliver continued snoozing in his lap. I sourly shut the door and made my way out to the living room to sit in the chair across from him, bristling when he laughed and began stroking the cat. What the hell was so funny? So what, I wasn't good at lying.

The nice side of Goku was still glaringly absent. He had a cruel grin on his face and looked like he was planning something. I set my phone in my lap, hoping it would deter him from doing anything stupid. I'd opened my home to him. The least he could do was try to be friendly.

That didn't come naturally to him. It was like breathing with most people—you meet someone new and you're automatically nice until you learn their true personality. But I kept forgetting that Goku wasn't human. He was an alien, raised to exterminate humans and control the masses. I was prey.

"I'll teach you how to manipulate humans," Goku said. "It's painfully easy. Your species isn't very bright. Throw in a few compliments, bend your head a little, smile, and you'll have them wrapped around your finger." He leaned his head back to look up at the ceiling, idly scratching behind Oliver's ears. "The key is to seem submissive. There's nothing humans love more than a power trip."

I scowled. "We're humans, not animals. It isn't that easy to figure us out. Besides, I'm one of these stupid humans you're belittling and I don't like you saying my race is stupid. What has yours accomplished? I bet they don't have skyscrapers and cars and computers."

"Have you been ignoring me all this time? I keep telling you that you aren't human but you act like I haven't said anything. You're by no means pureblooded and the crossbreeding happened at least a generation ago but there are still hints of it left inside you. I bet they could draw it out and make you a full-fledged fighting machine. You managed to overpower me and hit me over the head with a frying pan. Besides, we're all animals. Don't kid yourself saying we're anything else."

"I liked it better when you told me I smell pretty and slept a lot."

"And I liked it better when you were just another kill," Goku said. "But now you aren't. The other men might be willing to break free if they know about you. Our race could make a resurgence."

"Excuse me?" I put my hands on my hips and my scowl deepened. "I'm not resurging anyone's race. I'm going to be a normal human and go to work. You have a limited stay here. This isn't permanent."

Goku lifted his head from the couch to grin at me. "There you go again, tricking yourself into thinking you hold all the power. One flick of the wrist and I could end you. Besides, you don't need to get defensive." He leaned forward and Oliver leapt off his lap as he clasped his hands together. He eyed me over his knuckles with his cold black eyes. "I found the prize, not them. Finders keepers."

I sank into the chair opposite him and narrowed my eyes. Oliver sauntered over to curl up at my feet. "You can't afford to kill me and I'll refuse to cooperate if you hurt any of my friends."

"Hm. True." He ran a hand through his thick black hair, sighing. "I can still torment you. But that doesn't matter yet. We're going to lie low for a while and wait for the police to leave the city and move on to the next one. It should only be a few weeks, max."

Oh no. I'd be trapped with Goku for _weeks _rather than a few days? That wouldn't end well. Plus I'd have to constantly be on edge, watching and waiting for him to snap or grow impatient. I couldn't up and leave my life to travel halfway across the country on a wild goose chase. What if he was lying? No, I wouldn't throw my life away over his vague plans.

Goku's stomach growled and he winced, rising from the couch to eat even more of my food. I nervously fidgeted with my cell phone, trying to decide what the right thing to do was. I should tell the police. No, they couldn't do anything. He was too fast for the eye to see and extremely aggressive. I'd hoped I beat the cruelty out of him with my frying pan by the effects weren't permanent.

If I did what he asked, everything would be okay in the end. Granted, I'd have to sacrifice a lot in the beginning but eventually it would all even out. I rubbed my face as I listened to Goku rummaging through my cabinets for food to satiate his bottomless appetite. He was going to eat me out of house and home before he could snap my neck.

A sudden text broke me from my worries. I was relieved to see Rachel's name and underneath it, an invitation to go out drinking for the night. It sounded great to me. I could leave the thorn in my side at home and try to forget about all the stupid stuff I'd gotten myself into.

Bowls clinked in the kitchen as a cold shiver passed down my spine. But if I came home drunk, I'd be leaving myself wide open to an attack. I'd be too friendly. He might get annoyed and take matters into his own hands. Maybe it was safer for me to hold off on drinking until I knew him better. We could strike a deal—when I was drunk, he had to stay away from me.

Goku wouldn't function well in the club, either. He'd grow agitated being around so many people in such a tight space and I somehow doubted he drank frequently. I didn't want to wind up lugging him home. He looked like he weighed twice what I did. Not to mention he was probably one of those really gruesome drunks that started a fight with everyone they came across.

I rose to my feet and shuffled into the kitchen to see him shoveling food into his mouth from his tenth bowl. He didn't even glance up when he saw me.

"I'm… going out," I said lamely. "You need to stay here."

His long tail flickered irately and he paused to look up at me. "Where are you going? Somewhere with the humans?"

"Yes. We're going out to the bar. Nothing interesting and you wouldn't like it."

"What is this bar? Is there food involved?" Goku leaned back in his chair, cocking his head curiously. "I'd like to accompany you. You're precious cargo now."

"It's cramped and dark," I said. "You won't like it. People will push you around, it reeks of booze, and the food is ridiculously expensive. I never eat when I go out with the girls. It's way cheaper to… well, it _was _way cheaper to eat at home. But you've done a fine job cleaning out my pantry."

He shrugged indifferently. "We have fast metabolisms. That's why we can use so much energy." The chair creaked as he rocked back and forth on the tips of the legs, brow furrowed. "Bring me to this 'bar' you speak of. I want to watch the humans mingle. It's always fun seeing your prey squirm, right?"

"No, it isn't. Stop saying 'we.' I'm not like you. Now stay here and watch Oliver while I—"

An object whistled through the air toward my face. There was no way I could react in time to deflect it but something in me willed my hand up at breakneck speed. I smacked it away and jumped when I heard the smash of ceramic against my wall, staring in shock at the shattered bowl lying on my floor. I raised my hand to inspect it for damage but there was none, not even a red mark to speak of.

Goku leaned forward with a maniacal grin as I stared at my hand in terror. "I'm going to peel away all your humanity until what lies beneath can finally breathe again."

Oliver meowed mournfully from the living room.


	7. Case File 007 - The Devil's Brew

**A/N:** Hi. I lied because you guys are the greatest reviewers a girl could ask for. Srsly, I sat and typed this today because of how awesome these reviews have been. You're all the greatest readers ever. Plus, I'm pretty sure I can write this alongside my Assassin's Creed fanfic. It's hard switching between such radically different stories but not impossible. Forgive me if any of my character's traits bleed over.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 007 - _The Devil's Brew_

* * *

Thankfully I still had some of my old boyfriend's clothes stuffed away in my closet. Goku stood behind me with his hands jammed in his pockets while I rustled something up for him—just a plain black shirt and jeans—but scowled when I turned around to hand it to him. I shoved it against his chest and left the room so he could get changed privately. The clothes might be a bit small on him but I couldn't have him out in the junk he was wearing. That would definitely attract attention.

I went back out to the kitchen to sit at the table and dropped my forehead on the wood, moaning to myself. What was I _doing_? He was insane. He'd wind up killing me by the end of the week. I was being nice, sure, but at what cost? Maybe I'd be able to convince him that humans deserved mercy. I methodically hit my head against the table as Oliver purred at me on the floor. Maybe not.

There was always the possibility that Goku would draw out the evil creature lurking inside me. I opened my hands to stare at my palms, still marveling at how I smacked the bowl away like it was nothing. That should've at least caused a bruise. It explained why I was able to run with the guys as a little girl in spite of my small stature. Did the creature come out randomly? Was that why I liked drinking so much?

From across the room, I heard Goku clear his throat. "I'm ready, Harper."

"Do you really have to come with me?" I asked weakly, not raising my head. "I'll bring you home McDonald's or something. Rachel is gonna be all over you. What if your tail pops out?"

"I have full control over my tail, thank you very much. Who's Rachel? She sounds attractive."

I looked up irately to see Goku leaning on the counter, grinning like an alligator. He pouted when I rolled my eyes at him and used his tail to scratch his chin.

"You're not sleeping with any of my friends," I said. "They'll see your tail and come screaming to me. Besides, they think you and I are dating. If we give up that façade my sister is gonna call the cops and its game over for you, buddy. Be a good alien and do what you're told tonight."

Goku leered at me with a new stupid smirk on his face. "My, my, what a feisty mutt you are. Fine, if you want me to yourself I suppose I can make it happen. But you're my precious lovebug so I'll make sure to keep my hands all over you around your friends." He waggled his fingers at me.

I flipped him off as heat crept into my cheeks. No, why was I blushing?! He was a creep! He tried to kill me and now he was sticking around to use me as a human shield when the government came looking for him. As I tried to disguise my blush, the chair beside me was suddenly yanked out and Goku plopped down in it. I lay my head on the table again to hide from his prying eyes but he grabbed a fistful of my hair to yank me upright. He secured my wrists with his tail and turned my chair to face his.

"It's not because of you," I snapped when Goku raised an eyebrow. "It's hot in here, that's all. Now do you mind letting go? You can't just grab me by the hair like an ape when you want to get my attention. Start treating me better or I'll throw you out on the street."

"Are all your little hormones aflutter now? That's cute." He pulled back on my hair until I hissed in pain, exposing my throat. "I think you're coming down with a case of Stockholm syndrome. That's okay with me. It's been a long time since I bedded a pretty girl, considering how long Chi-Chi was away from the compound. Why don't we skip the bar and I can give you what we both want."

"I don't want anything from you, asshole."

Someone knocked on my door before Goku could respond. He leaned forward to kiss my forehead with a resounding smack and shoved me back into my chair as he stood up to answer the visitor. I winced in pain, massaging my forehead to get the feeling back. If I kept letting him push me around he'd never realize that what he was doing was wrong. I swayed to my feet as the door creaked open and heard Rachel's pealing laughter a few moments later.

When I made my way out to the foyer, still rubbing my forehead, I frowned. Rachel was touching Goku's arm and the two of them were smiling at one another, chatting like no one else was there. Willow was standing a few feet away with her arms crossed but perked up when she noticed me. We embraced and I caught Rachel placing her hand on Goku's bicep from the corner of my eye.

"Isn't Harper's new boyfriend so nice?" Willow asked, smacking Rachel's hand away. "It's nice to meet you, Steve. We're glad our friend found a guy worth keeping."

"Oh, I wouldn't say he's worth it," I said.

"Mia says you're a bad boy, Steve." Rachel trailed a fingertip down Goku's chest and he stiffened. "It takes a special kind of girl to handle that."

My sister pushed her way into the apartment, breaking Goku and Rachel apart. "Alright, Rach, stay away from Harper's new boyfriend. I'd like my little sister to settle down with someone instead of floating around her entire life. Is everyone ready to go?"

"You want me to settle down with him?" I sputtered. "He kicked me in the ribs!"

"I was just playing, kitten. Remember? You like it rough." Goku wrapped my arm around my waist and held me close to his side, kissing the crown on my skull. "And I'll take good care of you tonight."

I clenched my hands into fists as everyone giggled at Goku's words, mistaking it for genuine teasing. We all left the apartment and I felt his tail slither under the back of my shirt to trace my spine, prompting me to reach back and slap it away. Willow walked alongside Mia and talked to her about college while Rachel trailed slightly behind with her hands clasped behind her back, oddly close to Goku and me.

It was kind of bothering me. Rachel just didn't know when to quit. Why would she try to take my boyfriend away from me, anyway? That was rude. Goku noticed my unhappy expression and followed my eyes to the back of my redheaded friend's skull. He cocked an eyebrow and grinned, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. I felt heat prickling along my skin from the caress of his warm breath.

"Am I detecting jealousy?" he asked.

"No but I'm detecting that you better get out of my face before I hit you."

"If you want me to cooperate with you, I need you to cooperate with me." He took my hand in his and intertwined our fingers. "Love is a two way street."

"But being an insufferable asshole is definitely a one-way."

Goku laughed, attracting Rachel's attention. She glanced over her shoulder at him and winked before turning back around. I tried my best to keep a straight face but it was getting harder and harder. Goku had a death grip on my hand that was sure to snap a few delicate bones. His palm was hot and calloused, not typical of someone from Bennington. I walked stiffly beside him all the way out of my building and we piled into Mia's SUV.

The drive over was even more agonizing. Goku sat between Rachel and I and she held his attention for most of the trip, completely ignoring my growing aggravation. Willow texted me a few times to offer her condolences but I told her I wasn't very mad. I didn't care about who Goku was attracted to but I refused to be used as a hotel. If he wanted to sleep with Rachel, he needed to get out of my apartment.

No, I wasn't jealous. What did I care? I glared out the window as we drove through town and struggled to ignore Rachel's giggling. She could have the rotten bastard. He'd wind up killing her or getting her thrown in a high-security prison anyway. I'd meet a nice guy at the bar, we'd fall in love, settle down, have kids, and I could be waitress my whole life instead of dealing with an alien's shenanigans.

As soon as we parked I made myself scarce and flipped my ID to the bouncer out front as I stalked inside. Even my sister had a hard time keeping up with me as I made my way to the bartender. I needed alcohol, bad. The past few days had been the most trying of my life and a couple of drinks were the only cure for my growing impatience. I quickly sat down in a stool and ordered a few shots of vodka as Mia took a seat beside me and ordered a beer. She set her wallet on the counter and touched my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "I figured after all these years you knew how Rachel is around men." Mia thanked the bartender for our drinks and took a sip of her beer before continuing. "No offense, but I don't think Steve is your type. You're better off with someone more… tame. Like Seth. I could see if any of his friends are single. One of them had a nasty breakup a few weeks ago."

I downed my first shot without flinching. "That's fine. I'm not looking for anyone right now. I'll probably dump him and let Rachel have a go. Claire is gonna kill me for missing work the other day."

Mia shrugged, tipping her bottle of beer against her lips. "I already talked to her. She was mostly worried about you, not your absence. Go in tomorrow morning and everything will work out. Speaking of which, where does Steve work? Please tell me he has a job and isn't another loser."

"He… works on a farm out west a ways. Look, can we drop it? I already told you that he and I aren't really together, anyway. He and Rachel can do whatever they want."

My sister gave in and changed the subject to her wedding. I silently listened to her, nodding when necessary and practically drowning myself in vodka. But I began to notice something odd as the empty glasses piled up—I wasn't getting drunk. I could feel a slight buzz coming on after ten of them but by then I was usually completely wasted. Confused, I continued ordering them until the bartender shook his head and told me he needed to cut me off.

I examined my hands, bewildered. Why wasn't my vision spinning? Mia laughed about how much I drank and became very quiet when I stood up with no difficulty. I woozily squinted toward the writhing crowd on the dance floor and wondered why I didn't feel drunk until it all hit me like a ton of bricks.

My knees buckled and I collapsed on the cement floor, covering my mouth to stop the impending vomit. Mia knelt beside me, rubbing my back while my stomach heaved a few times in a desperate attempt to purge the alcohol. I groaned and clutched my abdomen as the full force of the vodka shattered my nerves to bring on a level of drunkenness I had never known before.

The world was split into six different pictures as I staggered to my feet. I could feel myself sweating profusely under my t-shirt but I still wanted to dance. Nothing else seemed important. I swayed toward the undulating group of people while my sister demanded the bartender tell her how much I drank. Weird. Even if I was sitting down the alcohol hit me pretty quickly. I'd never stood up and collapsed from it. I thought I was building a resistance.

Soon I was absorbed into the crowd, laughing happily like I had wished all day. There was nothing better than going out drinking with the girls. I sorely wished for more alcohol to keep me company but settled for gyrating by myself, too hammered to risk stumbling back to the bartender. Whatever. I was fine with dancing alone the entire night until the alcohol wore off and Mia—

Two arms wrapped around my waist from behind and I felt a chin rest on my shoulder. I giggled and tried to dance with the stranger but he pulled me tightly against him until I thought he'd push the alcohol back up out of my stomach. I began to protest and he shushed me.

Goku's lips were at my ear. "We have unwelcome company. They must be out checking the night life to see if I've made nice with any humans yet. Come on, we need to leave. I'll bring you home."

"I can't jus… leave mah sistur," I slurred.

"Oh, you _are _a treat. Don't worry, you won't be able to get drunk anymore pretty soon. I think your body is doing all the changing without any intervention." He suddenly swept me up off my feet, holding me like a toddler to his chest. "See those people in black near the door? We want to avoid them."

I squinted through the dark bar and could vaguely make out the shapes of three people who seemed out of place. The first had long, black hair and sharp black eyes like Goku. She was average height and thin, scanning the crowd for any signs of her target. The other two had black shades on and blonde hair. Their hands were clasped in front of them as they followed the woman through the bar.

Goku was walking quickly. "Of course they sent her. Chi-Chi always wants to fucking find me."

We passed through a set of doors and I groggily rested my head on his shoulder. Why did they all have such weird names? They should've stuck with normal stuff, like John and Ed and Calvin. I became vaguely aware of Goku jumping a lot but I was too tired to lift my head. The night was cool—it relieved some of my drunkenness and reduced my boiling nausea to a simmer.

Goku groaned. "Bulma must be really desperate if she sent Chi. We're gonna have to keep an eye out for police from now on, Harper. I'm not sure if they'll realize you're hiding me or not. If they do, you could be considered an accessory and—"

"Why's your hair so spiky?" I asked, barely coherent.

"I… what? You really don't know how to handle your alcohol, lady."

"Answer. Why's it so spiky?" I reached up and tugged curiously on Goku's black locks, making him growl irately. "Why d'you make that noise? Are you a dog? Can you… can you bark?"

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do with you. You could conveniently fall off a roof and I'll take over your apartment until your friends find out. Or you could keep pulling my hair and asking if I'm a dog." His tail flickered out and wound around my waist to hold me snugly against his body so one of his arms was free. I could feel us gliding through the air. Were we flying?

"Getchur tail 'way from me before I break it."

He sighed and I could hear the air escaping his lungs. "Relax, Harper. We'll be home soon. When you're done being a drunken fool I'll explain what's going on."

I wanted to be angry and tell him _he _was the drunken fool but the alcohol was steadily intensifying my exhaustion. The last thing I saw was the ground racing by several hundred feet below me.

We _were _flying.


	8. Case File 008 - Parthian Shot

**A/N:** Next chaptah! I figured it was time for some sexual tension. I wait way too long for it. Oh and the new movie is out in Japan! I want to see drunk Gohan and pregnant Videl so bad it hurts. Waaaa.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 008 - _Parthian Shot_

* * *

The creaking of my front door woke me later on. I groggily opened my eyes as Goku kicked the door shut and turned the lock, carrying me effortlessly through the house. He nudged Oliver out of the way with his foot and shouldered into my bedroom to dump me unceremoniously on the bed. I groaned as my stomach heaved and curled into a ball while he drew the shades down, peering through the blinds with palpable paranoia. Jesus Christ, I felt like I'd been run over by a train fifty times.

Goku ran a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth across the carpet. He kicked off his shoes and irately watched me roll around on the bed. "Will you get a grip? We're not in a goof situation right now. Chi is one of the humans we train with and she doesn't go down easy. It won't be long before she shows up at your door asking about me and she knows how to make someone disappear quietly."

"I feel horrible," I moaned, clutching my stomach. "You were too busy with Rachel to keep an eye on me. Asshole. I hate you. Get out of my apartment before I throw you out."

He sat on the bed by my feet and sighed. "I could try to talk to Chi but I doubt she'll listen. Bulma and Dr. Briefs forbade us from being in any kind of relationship and… well, I don't think she likes me very much right now. Will you cut it out? I'll break your toes if you keep poking me with them."

I giggled and continued to jab my big toe into his ribs until another painful lurch of my stomach drew me back into a ball. "Get outta my apartment, asshole. Go see what _Rachel's _doing."

"What if she defected? Maybe she's here to help. They send the only human in the world that I'm even mildly afraid of with two of her biggest henchmen. I'm surprised Vegeta didn't come along. He's turned into Bulma's fucking lapdog. Breaking my brother and the others out isn't gonna be easy."

"Get out," I repeated.

"But I can't risk it. If I can sneak up on her I'll snap her neck and—"

"GET OUT OF MY APARTMENT!" I shrieked, sitting up furiously and pointing to the door. "I don't wanna deal with your bullshit anymore. Get out! Go live on the street or let those people take you back where you belong. You're an inconsiderate, rude… rude… rudeface. Get out before I get really mad."

Not a second passed before Goku was on top of me. He furiously covered my mouth with one hand and pushed hard until my teeth sank into my lip, drawing blood into my mouth. I squealed in pain, scrambling to pull his palm away as my teeth chewed deeper and deeper into my lip. He leaned in close to my face, black eyes burning with rage as I thrashed desperately under his weight.

"Have I not been clear enough?" he hissed. "This apartment belongs to me. I'm being a nice landlord and letting you live. Consequently, _you _belong to me. Shut up and quit acting like all the other fleshbags on this miserable planet. Feelings have nothing to do with this. I don't care about you, your friends, or your damn cat. I'm only keeping you alive until you no longer serve a purpose. Got it?"

I nodded quickly, tears in my eyes. Goku removed his hand so I could swallow the blood pooling around my teeth and idly wiped up a stream of it pouring from the side of my mouth. He sucked it off his finger as he moved back, allowing me to sit up. My whole body was trembling. I wrapped my arms around myself and held back the overwhelming urge to burst into tears. God, I was stupid. He was a raging psychopath. He didn't have a capacity to change.

The alien raised an eyebrow. "You're weak. People can hurt you worse than I have. Get over it."

"You could've severed my teeth through my lip!" I spat. "Then you drink my blood? There's something wrong with you. First chance I get I'm throwing you the fuck out." I rubbed a few traitorous tears from the corners of my eyes and felt fury beginning to burn through my veins. Uh oh. That usually meant the evil alien was clawing her way out. I tightened my grip on my arms, trying to relax.

"So? Chi won't hesitate to do even worse things. Besides, I like playing with breakable things. It's more exciting." Goku grinned at me malevolently. "Are you crying?"

"No. It's dry in here and my eyes get wet when I drink. I just need to go to sleep."

We were scarcely a foot apart. Goku leaned forward and grabbed my chin to tilt my face up to his. He pressed his lips together, examining my expression for any signs of weakness. I withdrew my hands from my arms and tightened them into fists to control my temper. If I gave in then I was just doing what he wanted. Becoming a vicious alien probably wouldn't work out too well for me.

It was a battle of the wills that I couldn't afford to lose.

He puckered his lips, eyeing me from every angle. "You need some encouragement; something that'll make you angry enough to break your fragile grip on humanity. Hm. It'll have to be a slow process. You have a high threshold for bullshit."

I glared back at him, clenching my fists so tightly I thought I'd break the skin of my palms. "No. I won't let you. As a matter of fact, I'm going to tell my sister right now about you. No more crying, no more letting you walk all over me. You're a sick bastard. You're beyond help."

Goku laughed and cupped my cheek in his palm. It was warm and rough; the furthest thing from comforting that I could imagine. His finger stretched around to the back of my neck and he roughly pushed forward, kissing my forehead with an irritating pop. "It's funny watching you get angry. I used to roll my eyes when Vegeta threw temper tantrums but you take the cake, Harper."

"Shut up. Stop mocking me."

"Why should I?" he sneered. "What are you gonna do about it, fleshbag?" He seized a fistful of my hair and yanked back, cracking my neck painfully. "You're a sad, weak, worthless—"

A shrill scream tore out of my throat and I lunged at Goku, sending both of us to the floor. Oliver watched silently from the door as we rolled around across the carpet, struggling to gain the upper hand. Goku was laughing while I wrapped my hands around his throat and squeezed as hard as I could. He was heavy as hell and dense as moon rock but I was finding it much easier to wrestle.

He suddenly pinned me palm-to-palm, panting as he struggled to force my hands to stay on the carpet. I growled and gnashed my teeth inhumanly as my hands slowly forced his elbows to bend. He violently crushed my arms down to the floor and held my hips firmly with his thighs while I writhed beneath him. My heart was racing a mile a minute; I couldn't think straight. I could've sworn I was seeing red.

The cords in Goku's forearms bulged from his tanned skin thanks to the force he had to exert to hold me down. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead and he had to once again slam me against the floor when I snapped my teeth at him. My eyes were wide, searching for an escape. I wanted to hurt him in a million different ways. Thinking of punching him until he died sent excited shivers down my spine. All of my nerves were on _fire_, waiting eagerly for the next opportunity to arise.

He nodded, swallowing so hard I could see his Adam's apple bob. "That's good. Get angry. Don't you hate being used?" His tail twitched behind him like a cat waiting to pounce.

I ripped one hand free of his grasp and threw a punch toward his nose which ne narrowly caught an inch away. Goku's eyebrows were drawn together in consternation as he slowly pushed my arm back down to the floor. I growled angrily, completely forgetting who I was in those few moments. All that mattered was being on top; being the dominator instead of the submissive. I wanted to punch the hell out of him.

But another feeling began to surface the longer I kept my eyes locked with Goku's. It was intense and out of place. Warmth swelled in my abdomen when he finally succeeded in pinning my arms to the floor. My unbridled fury turned to embarrassment and I felt my cheeks flush pink. Oh no. Oh _god _no. Was I seriously getting turned on right now? Was that an alien thing? Oh sweet Jesus.

"You lose," he said without smiling. "By our laws, I'm allowed to take you."

My heart leapt and I tried to control my pulse. "Whose laws? I'm not listening to your dumb laws. By the laws of humans this is home invasion and I have every right to kill you. But if you get your fat butt off me I might be merciful."

"And there is goes. I was hoping you'd stay mad a bit longer." He blinked a few times and suddenly pressed two fingertips to my throat. "Your heart is beating fast. Why?"

"We were just wrestling. That's why."

A beguiling smile touched the corners of his lips and he gently drew his fingertips across my throat, causing my skin to tingle. He leaned down to my ear and inhaled sharply. His warm breath ghosted across my flesh, bringing up goosebumps. I closed my eyes and prayed he wasn't going to bite me or something. I wouldn't put it past the rotten bastard.

There was a moist touch then, "Soon you'll be ready. I can taste it."

Pounding on the door snapped both of us out of our reverie. Goku's lip curled into a snarl and he lifted me up off the floor to his chest in a brief, possessive movement. I held onto him nervously until I realized what I was doing then squirmed and demanded to be released. He hoisted me onto my bed and began to pace in front of me, muttering to himself. His black eyes were terrified. What would they do to him if he was brought back? Would he be tortured to death?

"Fly out the window," I blurted. "Take my phone and I'll send you a text with my computer when she leaves. Just try to stay out of sight."

"What happened to turning me in? Are we in a better mood now?"

I rolled my eyes and tossed him my phone. "Shut up and get out of here. I can handle this Chi-Chi character, whoever she is. Grab any of your old clothes before you leave in case they search my apartment. I don't feel like getting thrown in prison tonight."

Goku grinned at me as he slipped my phone in his pocket. "You're growing up so fast. Chi is good at telling when you're lying so try not to stumble over your words too much. I'll be back."

"Whatever. Get lost."

The knocking became even more urgent. Goku opened my window and turned around one last time to salute me before he leapt outside, flying off into the darkness. I watched him fly off with a weird feeling of sadness and quickly shut the window when I heard someone yell my name. Oliver trailed after me as I made my way down the hall to the foyer and yanked open the front door.

Chi-Chi was standing between the two huge men from the bar. I hadn't been able to catch how she looked in the darkness but now I could fully appreciate her. Her thick black hair was tied up in a ponytail and she had black gloves on along with a black trenchcoat. She inclined her head politely to me and flashed a badge from her wallet, face completely absent of emotion. Was she an alien too?

"Miss Harper, we have a few questions for you," she said.


	9. Case File 009 - Men in Black

**A/N:** Alright, it was time for me to start making this story live up to it's rating and category. Dark Goku wasn't being very dark. I need to update my other story though so I don't know when the next update will be. Probably not too far off. :)

**Warnings:** Mild gore.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 009 - _Men in Black_

* * *

Chi-Chi neatly crossed her legs and sipped on the tea I offered her while her two body guards didn't seem interested in indulging themselves. I smiled politely at them, inwardly screaming as she smoothed down the front of her coat and took out a notebook. The more nervous I acted, the worse the consequences would be. If I behaved like a model citizen and answered all her questions then she'd leave and stay away for quite a while. Goku would be safe until I could figure out what the hell I was going to do with him.

My hands were trembling as I set my tea cup down. Chi's eyes flickered up as I coughed to clear my throat. Oh god, she was on to me. She would kill time until Goku came back to check on me. I had to send him a text before it was too late. He could live with someone else and keep his freedom for a bit longer. Rachel would be willing to take him in for a while.

"Let me get straight to the point," she said, clicking her pen. "We have strong reason to believe that a fugitive has been hiding out in Bennington, wreaking havoc and hiding in people's homes. My men here noticed you leaving a bar with a man who strongly resembles the person we're looking for. He's about six feet, two inches tall, with kind of crazy black hair and dark eyes."

"You must have seen me with my brother, Henry. He's been having a rough time lately so he doesn't look very presentable in public."

"Oh, I see." She squinted at her notebook and raised an eyebrow. "My records indicate that you're an orphan. You have a 'sister' named Mia? Odd, we didn't know you had a brother as well."

"Henry's _like _a brother," I said quickly. "I don't know my biological parents so I try to build my own little group, I guess. There's Rachel, Willow, Claire… we all stick together."

The woman smiled but it didn't touch her eyes. "How cute. Well, Harper, allow me to elaborate on what I mean by 'fugitive.' This man is incredibly violent and aggressive. He can and will put on a mask to blend with people but it eventually slips off. He belongs behind bars. He's responsible for the deaths of many innocent people so we'd like to see him put away again before he causes even more harm."

"I understand. If I see anything I'll definitely let you know."

Chi leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm as she looked me over. She was reading me. Could she tell I was descended from aliens as well? "There're bruises on your wrists. Were you fighting someone?"

Shit. I tugged my sleeves down, eyes widening at the angry purple handprints Goku left behind. We'd have a long goddamn talk about that. Claire was really gonna flip her lid if she saw me come in to waitress with bruises all over. The customers would worry and wonder and that meant trouble for the restaurant. I swallowed hard under Chi's intense gaze and let out a strangled laugh.

"Fighting with Henry," I said as I rubbed the back of my head.

Her cold eyes flickered to my face. "The man we're looking for does that. It's a nervous habit they all have; some kind of inherited trait."

"Oh. That's weird. Are they all related or something?" I pressed.

"In a way. Let me know if you see anything or notice any changes when the full moon comes tomorrow. I highly suggest you stay in on those nights: that's when our criminal is most active."

"What do you mean? Does something happen to him?" I rose from the couch when Chi did, trying to rein in my concern but desperate to know more about Goku. "Can't you tell me anything else?"

"I'm afraid I can't," she said, snapping her fingers for her bodyguards to follow her. "It's top secret information. I've left you a copy of my card on the table so you can get in contact with me if you see anything suspicious." She shook my hand firmly and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Harper."

The three of them took their leave and I was left standing in the living room as the front door shut. I stared at the floor for a few minutes and shuffled over to my computer so I could send Goku a text. A new mystery had arisen—what the hell happened during the full moon? Maybe Goku was a werewolf. No, his tail wasn't furry enough. It seemed more like a monkey's than anything else.

I placed my palms face down on the table to examine the bruises creeping across my wrists. If I remembered correctly I still had some gauze in the bathroom. I could wrap it up and say I sprained my wrists jumping or jogging. My eyes widened as I remembered the ugly bruises I had woken up with earlier that were in the exact same place. Had I really healed that quickly? Mia had mentioned my wrist in passing but I thought it was looked pretty bad when I woke up…

My eyes wandered to the bottom right hand corner of the computer screen and I groaned. It was almost midnight. I'd spent the entire day fighting with Goku and trying to keep my friends from suspecting he was anything other than human. Exhausted, I pushed away from the computer desk and rose to my feet, stretching my arms toward the ceiling. It was definitely time for bed.

A knock on the door reminded me that I couldn't KO quite yet. I tiredly crossed my apartment to peer out of the peephole and confirm in was Goku before allowing him inside. He looked over his shoulder nervously and turned the deadbolt when I began shuffling toward the hallway. Oliver meowed happily and wound around Goku's feet as he followed me through the apartment to my bedroom.

"How'd it go?" he asked. "Did you let it slip?"

I pulled back my sheets and shook my head. "No. She was sort of suspicious but she didn't outright accuse me of anything. But she did mention that something happens to you when the moon is full. Care to elaborate? According to her it's top secret stuff."

Goku suddenly pulled off his shirt, shrugging casually. I froze in the middle of climbing under the sheets in shock as he absently rubbed his perfectly toned abdomen, rubbing his fingers over the indents of his muscles like they weren't there at all. I wasn't sure if he did it to distract me but it definitely worked. My eyes were glued to him as he unbuttoned his pants, revealing a telltale trail of dark hair. The cords in his broad shoulders protruded when he scratched the back of his head.

"It's nothing important," he said. "You'll survive. Anyway, I was thinking about how we're gonna rescue the other men. If you could get another human to cooperate with us we might have an easier time. A lone girl in the middle of the desert is sure to make them suspicious but two of you will make it look like a camping trip gone wrong." He turned to grin cockily at me. "Just bring someone you don't care about."

I slid under the covers without saying anything, thanking god for the darkness hiding my blush. Our wrestling match had me feeling strange and I couldn't wait to sleep it off. I was too tired to even bother taking off my clothes. Sleeping in my jeans wasn't comfortable but I could deal with it for one night. As soon as Goku left to sleep in the living room I would—

He suddenly shimmied out of his pants and I quickly turned to bury my face in the pillow. I listened to him pile his clothes together then heard the dreaded footsteps across my carpet to the bed. He yawned profusely and tugged back the sheets to slide underneath them, enveloping me in his heat.

"Get out of my room," I demanded. My voice was mostly muffled by the pillow but I was mad, dammit!

"I'm not sleeping on the floor again. Come on, we can cuddle like the humans." Goku's tail slithered around my thigh, gently stroking my skin until goosebumps began popping up. "I can comfort you, you can comfort me, and both of us will be happy. Or I can piss you off so we can wrestle again. That was great. It's been a long time since I had an actual challenge."

I looked up at him angrily but shrank back when I noticed how close he was. He wound an arm around my waist and pulled me closer, pressing our bodies together in less than innocent ways. I squirmed in his grasp as his tail began rhythmically massaging my thigh. His fur was soft and short.

Annoyed, I placed both palms to his chest and shoved forcefully. "I'm not kidding, get out of my room. There's no comforting or cuddling to be had here. That chick left her phone number and I'll make sure I call her if you don't do what I say."

Goku laughed and suddenly flipped us over, pinning me underneath him. His tail wound back to his waist as he restrained my arms above my head. "It's so… endearing when you threaten me. Why don't you take off your clothes? They don't look like they're comfortable to sleep in. I can rip them off in a second and you can use me as your own furnace. Aren't you cold?"

"I swear to god, you better get off me. I'm being really, really nice to you and you're throwing it back in my face. Get off and go to sleep, Goku."

He shifted on top of me and reached between us to unbutton my pants, easily holding my wrists with one hand. "Okay, okay, if you want me to get off I will. But you need to at least take your pants off."

"Bite me," I snapped.

"Jeez, you're horny tonight. But if you insist."

"What the hell are you—"

My head was yanked to the side to expose my neck. I protested furiously but Goku clapped a hand over my mouth to hold my head in place and violently sank his teeth into my flesh. It surprised me so much that I failed to scream for the first few seconds and instead lay there motionlessly, eyes wide and staring at the wall. Blood rolled down my shoulder, prompting me to gag a few times before an agonized shriek clawed out of my throat. I twisted my wrists desperately in his grasp and he bit down harder.

Excruciating wasn't a strong enough word to describe how it felt. This was the kind of pain that drove you insane. His tongue pushed through my flesh, eagerly lapping up the copious amounts of blood that poured freely from my skin. I broke down into sobs occasionally broken by screams when I heard him chewing on small pieces of flesh he tore off. He wasn't kidding when he said I smelled good enough to eat. I was literally being eaten alive by an alien.

Then he pulled away a few minutes later, groaning. He straddled me with his knees while he held his bloody hands in front of himself and lazily licked it from the corners of his mouth. It was smeared all over his face up to his nose. Goku's eyes rolled back as he sucked my blood off his fingers and he smirked down at me, keeping his black, soulless irises locked on mine.

Blood was everywhere. When he tried to lick it off it just got ten times worse. Bile rose in my stomach and I weakly raised an arm to wipe tears away from my eyes. My entire body was shaking like a leaf. What kind of monster had I brought into my life?

"Aw, don't give me that look," Goku said with a slight pout. "You told me you wanted to be bitten, so I did what you asked." He made an effort to lap up all the blood covering his hands like a cat cleaning itself. He didn't flinch at the metallic taste. "I knew you'd taste good. Too bad I can't indulge myself any further. I've gotta keep you alive, Harper, for the good of our race. You'll be fine in the morning."

Breathing intensified the pain. I took shallow breaths as Goku wiped off the rest of the blood on my shirt, then leaned down and cleaned off his mouth. He smiled at me cruelly as he tore my shirt in half and ripped it off my body to throw it to the floor. My teeth chattered and I shakily reached toward the bite wound to gauge how bad it was. But Goku slapped my wrist away, scowling.

"I said you'll be fine. Leave it alone or I'll make it ten times worse." He slid backwards to finish unzipping my pants and tugged them off my legs, also throwing them on the ground. Bloody teeth flashed at me through the darkness as the creepy grin returned. His fingertips hitched on the edge of my panties. "Now about that first thing you mentioned… you told me to, and I quote, 'get off.'"

"It's a figure of speech, you twisted bastard. Get away from me."

"Do I make your skin crawl? Are there invisible bugs skittering around under there?" Goku tickled his fingers across my stomach and leaned forward to place his hands on either side of my head. The blanket was pulled over him up to his neck, making him look even bigger and more menacing.

Through the pain and rage, I was finally beginning to see what was hidden underneath Goku's outer shell. It permeated the growing feeling of helplessness, allowing me to ignore my pain and summon the waning strength within me for a strike that would hopefully hit home. I couldn't be tormented. I refused to be a rug that he wiped his feet on. And to my surprise, I started giggling.

"I'm not afraid of you, Goku," I said. "I feel bad for you. You're an alien trapped on a planet with life forms who only want to control you and turn you into a fighting machine. There's nothing but sadness and hate in your life. It's all you know. So when you stumble upon weaker humans; the ones who have no idea who you are, you get a kick out of torturing them.

"My skin isn't crawling. It hurts like hell and I'd love to go to the hospital but I will bleed out and die before I give you the satisfaction of breaking me." I pushed my index finger into his chest, grinning. "And wouldn't you love to do that? We can play this game for as long as you want. You can bite me, drink my blood, suggest you're going to rape me; I don't care. When it comes down to it, you're just another asshole trying to compensate for the hatred you feel."

There was no response forthcoming. Goku's black eyes stared deep into mine with a level of fury and pain that was nearly incomprehensible. His hands tightened into fists next to my head but he didn't move from his spot above me. I widened my smile to show all my teeth and stuck out my tongue.

The alien's scowl grew darker and he roughly shoved me into the bed before getting out of it. He stalked out of the room, slamming my door shut behind him. I could hardly believe my luck. Had I managed to strike a nerve? It seemed like Goku was impenetrable. He had built an emotional fortress.

As I drifted to sleep, neck throbbing painfully, I smiled.


	10. Case File 010 - Invictus

**A/N:** Chugging right along. This is my favorite chapter so far. Thank you for all the reviews, guys! If you like my darkfics I have an original fiction on another site that has garnered a ton of positive reviews. It's very dark; three different books about a psychopath and a psychiatrist.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 010 - _Invictus_

* * *

The smell of my own blood woke me the next morning.

Nausea rippled through me as I opened my eyes to see my head lying in a dried red puddle that centered on my neck. I blinked a few times in a feeble attempt to wake up and Oliver hopped up on the bed to check on me, sniffing curiously at the blood. When I moved to shoo him away I hissed in pain and slapped a hand over the throbbing wound on my neck. It didn't hurt nearly as bad as before but it was still raw and tender. The skin had grown over neatly to leave behind a smooth scar.

Blood was caked all over my throat and the front of my shirt. I weakly pushed myself up in bed just to collapse back on the mattress, grimacing at the unpleasant scent of blood. The injury had healed but I had lost too much blood to function properly for a while. Odd. The two should have correlated. If my body could heal such a severe bite then I should've been back to normal. I curiously examined my hands only to see that they were pale and trembling. I needed more rest.

My bedroom door groaned open and a familiar mess of black hair appeared around the edge of the frame. Goku was still almost naked, only wearing black boxers that really left very little to the imagination. His fingers curled around the edge of the door and the muscles in his arms noticeably tightened when he noticed me slumped against my pillows. The tail twitched. I could have sworn I saw his irises constrict like a cat hunting its prey.

Goku smiled malevolently. "Good morning, Harper. How did you sleep last night?"

"Piss off," I rasped, wetting my dry lips with my tongue. I needed water really badly. It felt like I hadn't had anything to drink in days. My arm shook violently as I tried to prop myself up and glare at the alien standing across the room. "You owe me new sheets. Mine are destroyed. I might need to go to the hospital for a blood transfusion, too. My neck is stiff and I'm all shaky like I just threw up."

Fear prickled down my spine when Goku's smile widened. He withdrew from my room for a minute and reappeared with a sheet set in his hands, still zippered in a plastic pouch. I didn't have any spares lying around my house. Granted, it would've been a good idea considering how I drank like a sailor, but it never crossed my mind that I might puke all over my sheets. Besides, vomit washed out. Blood? Not so much. I'd be lucky if I could even get the stench to go away.

He quietly shut my door and held the sheet set to his chest. "Why don't you get out of bed so I can change the sheets for you? After all, it's my fault they're ruined."

I wanted to call him an asshole but I knew it was a test. He wanted to see how weak I was so he could judge whether or not he was going to attack. Goku watched with thinly veiled pleasure as I gritted my teeth to sit up fully in bed, woozily clutching my head. Oliver meowed and curled into a ball to take a nap while I tried to get a grip on the ill feeling in my stomach. Jesus, I felt awful.

"Don't just stand there and stare," I snapped. "Come help me get up! Where did you get those, anyway? Have you been snooping through my stuff?"

"But you're a strong, independent woman." Goku furrowed his brow and the smile turned into a condescending frown. "I don't want to play _games _with you. That would be cruel and sadistic, so I'll let you take the reins and be a real woman."

White hot pain lanced through my neck and I doubled over in agony as angry tears sprung from the corners of my eyes. It had to be infected. The skin had closed over it but the actual wound never healed inside so it was just begging to get worse and worse. The searing pain burned through my nerves and I gnashed my teeth together, biting back a scream. God help me.

The end of my bed shifted. I squinted one eye open to see Goku sitting two feet away, grinning maliciously while I struggled to get a hold of myself. Panting, I raised myself up several inches to glare at him and held onto the throbbing scar. It felt like poison was seeping through my body.

My palms were moistening. I could feel sweat pooling around my fingers pressed to my neck. "I need to go to the hospital before I start getting really sick. Cut it out, Goku."

"Oh, a hospital isn't going to be able to help you now." He balanced his elbow on the package of sheets and rested his chin in his palm, cool as a cucumber. "This is beyond human medicine. You're gonna have to sit here and deal with it until the pain passes. I hope you don't have to work today."

"What the hell are you talking about? You bit me! There were all sorts of bacteria in your saliva and now it's going through my bloodstream. Plus, I lost a lot of blood. All I need is an IV, antibiotics, and a lot of Gatorade to get everything back in balance. Clearly I can't get up and drive myself so you need to drive, carry me, or fly like you did the other night. If I die, you're screwed."

The grin never left Goku's face. He rose from the bed, tossing the sheets carelessly aside, and stood in front of me with his arms outstretched, gesturing with his fingers for me to do the same. I grudgingly complied and reached toward him so he leaned forward to scoop me up off the bed. My nails dug into his shoulders when I felt his boiling hot hands on my skin. Everything hurt. I wanted to sleep more.

Goku easily peeled back the sheets while holding me close with one arm. I was too nauseous to be disgruntled by our bare skin brushing; it was too uncomfortable to bring a blush to my cheeks. The new sheet set was zippered open and before I knew it, he carefully lay me back down on the bed. I was getting worse by the minute—I tugged my comforter over my body and grimaced at how it grated against my skin. Sweat was pouring freely down my quivering arms.

I had to be dying. I'd been sick pretty frequently when I was a kid and could vividly remember how horrible it felt to have a raging fever. This was worse. It was compounded into a mess of misery and pain, all stemming from the infected bite on my neck. God, I _would _allow a crazy man with a blood fetish into my apartment. He'd probably kill the cat next.

A warm hand settled on my shoulder, squeezing gently. My teeth chattered. It was too hot but it was too cold to kick off the sheets. I was trapped in a cycle of discomfort that seemed to have no end. Breathing was painfully difficult so I resorted to taking rattling breaths with my mouth.

The sheets shuffled and I managed to open my eyes just far enough to see Goku lying beside me, watching my slow descent into madness. His black eyes roamed across my face. It was unsettling to be beside him in bed. I struggled to turn the other way but it was far too much effort. He cocked his head curiously into the pillows when I collapsed yet again, gasping for air.

"I'm dying," I croaked. "I'm dying and you're sitting here watching me. Do you have poisonous spit like a fucking komodo dragon?"

"Shh, you're not dying. I'm pretty sure you'll be okay. Nappa was never specific but…" Goku reached forward to touch the scar, making it tingle pleasantly. "I guess it works. I was a baby when the humans took me so I never knew anything about my home planet. Nappa was taken in as a teenager. He remembers the most and told the rest of us that…" He paused and grinned. "You'll see."

"See what?" I asked. "Can you just bring me to the hospital before I drop dead?"

"None of them can help you. If we're going to be rescuing the other men, I need to make sure no one will try to take you out from under my nose. Relax and take the day to lie in bed. Want me to get you anything? Maybe vodka can help keep your stomach straight."

"What are you not telling me?"

My phone began vibrating on the nightstand, breaking the tension. Goku reached over me to grab it and covered my mouth when I began to protest. He pressed the "accept" button and turned on the speaker phone. I was delirious with rage. What the hell did he think he was doing?!

"Harper?" asked Claire cautiously. "Are you feeling alright?"

Goku lazily turned my phone between his fingers. "Hello, Claire. Harper's alive, just puking in the bathroom. We think she has a stomach bug. Can you imagine?" He pushed down harder on my mouth, hardly able to contain himself. "Is there something I can help you with? I'm sure you don't want to listen to the sound of her vomiting."

Claire was quiet for a few moments as she drank in his words. She coughed slightly. "Um, no. Mia called and said she left the bar early last night so I was checking on her. Tell her to give me a call later, we could use some help at the restaurant tomorrow."

He agreed to relay the message and promptly hung up my phone. My eyes rolled back in my head from the pull of another wave of nausea and I hiccupped against Goku's palm. If I puked, it would be going right back down into my stomach. He leaned over me again to set the phone on the nightstand and yanked open a drawer, rummaging around until he discovered what he wanted. I watched him vacantly. My appendages were turning cold. I had to be dying.

The mirror in Goku's hand reflected the sunlight beginning to come through my window. He relaxed beside me and slipped an arm behind my neck to prop me up enough that I could see how I looked. I winced as my image came into a murky focus, blurred by the tears in my eyes.

It was still easy to tell that I was sick as a dog. My skin was nearly translucent in the sun, shimmering with a slick layer of sweat. I'd failed to take out my ponytail last night so my hair hung loosely gathered near my neck. I squinted at my eyes and was horrified to find that my pupils were two vastly different sizes, which was another strong sign that Harper was about to bite the dust.

Trembling, I reached up to touch the circular pink bite mark. I was wrong about where he had bitten me—the actual scar was near my collar bone instead of my throat. But the traveling pain was not imagined. I choked at the thin, protruding black lines that originated from the bite, crisscrossing over my pallid flesh all the way up my shoulder. I still only had a bra on so I could see they traveled over my breast to end near my heart. They pulsated.

As I stared in growing terror, Goku's fingers entered the reflection and traced one particularly thick line. "It'll go away soon enough. Nappa told me we'd poison and kill humans if we tried it on them so this confirms my suspicions that you're nowhere near being human." He opened my fingers and wrapped them around the mirror's handle, smiling at our reflections. "Fear is a good look for you. I'd like it if you wore that expression more often."

I covered my mouth with my hand. My reflection wasn't Harper Williams. It was a hollow shell of the woman who had been thrown from foster home to foster home. It wasn't the girl who beat up boys for her adoptive sister. It wasn't the party girl who lived every day like it would be her last. The icy blue eyes staring back were not those of a survivor, but of a defeated woman who had been bludgeoned until she could no longer raise her head. I couldn't believe that woman was me.

No, I _wouldn't _believe that woman was me.

I furiously hurled the mirror across the room and it shattered against my door, startling Oliver from his nap. Goku put his hands behind his head, idly watching me peel the sheets off my legs to sit up. They were already soaked in sweat. The poison was spreading. I swung my legs around the edge of the bed and grabbed my other nightstand to wobble to my feet. My knees shook terribly but I gritted my teeth together and stood tall after a few seconds. I wasn't going to let him win. I wanted to wipe that self-satisfied smirk off his face before it become permanent.

"You'll never break me," I hissed, hunching over from exhaustion and pain. My vision swam and I staggered, back on the brink of collapse. No. Stand proud, Harper. "I'll… I'll show you. I am not weak. Weakness is bullying people who have no way to defend themselves. Weakness is…" I squeezed my eyes shut and braced myself on the nightstand. "Weakness is tearing people down when you can build them up. I'll show you, Goku. You'll be the nicest person in the entire fucking universe."

Goku raised an eyebrow. "Lay down. Your energy is dropping."

"No! I'm not doing anything you say anymore. You need to learn that you can't bully and scare people into doing what you want. I'm taking a stand for all humans. Stop pushing me around and treat me as an equal or else I'll…" I pointed a wavering finger at him and rubbed my eyes, momentarily without any support. Seconds later, I was clutching the nightstand again.

The alien sat up Indian style, gracefully draping his hands over his thighs. He cocked his head. "Or else what? You'll give me more of your pseudo-inspirational speeches? Lay down, Harper. Stop taking everything as a personal insult. You're not a human so why do you care? We're above them. We're apex predators, designed by evolution to _be _better. Face it: you're not like them. You are an outcast."

Tears were pouring down my face. I'd steeled myself to maintain control of the sobbing part but the excruciating pain couldn't be ignored by my body. It was a gut reaction. I shook my head and stumbled backwards without direction to slump against the wall. Goku stared at me with a mixture of irritation and genuine curiosity. If I squinted hard enough, I saw concern.

"I will never betray the people I love," I said. "Even if what you're saying is true…" My eyes were drooping shut. I couldn't take much more. "I will never forsake my family. Being stronger doesn't mean I'm better than them. If anything… if anything, it gives me more reason to protect them."

"They'll turn on you," he said, leaning forward. "You'll be shunned. They'll want to kill you for being different or turn you into a weapon. Bloodlust is a part of who you are. You channeled it into something else: parties and sex and drinking, but that can't last forever. I can tell you're excited to feel blood drenching your fingers; to watch the light fade from a human's eyes. One day, the people you love will become the monsters you hate."

I dug my nails into the wall, furiously shaking my head. "No! I love Mia. I've never even thought about killing another person. It's wrong and disgusting and—"

"You liked it when I bit you. It made you feel alive. Our race can feel things much more vibrantly than humans do. Things that feel good to other people feel heavenly to you. The sensations of pain and pleasure frequently mix. You like drinking and you like vomiting all of it up afterwards. You always thought you were weird but you figured it was just a quirk. It's not. Saiyans have such acute senses that everything gets jumbled together on a constant basis. We like to feel overwhelmed."

"Shut up!" I shrieked. "Get out of my fucking house before I throw you out!"

"Come on, Harper. If you admit what you are, you don't have to feel alone anymore." Goku offered me his hand with a beguiling smile. I'd only know him for a day or two but I already knew his intentions were very bad. "Let's save our race. Together."

Suddenly, my doorbell began ringing madly and I heard pounding on the door. I looked toward it longingly but Goku was immediately on his feet, herding me back to bed. He moved so fast I couldn't see exactly what he did. I wound up in a clean change of clothes, with the shirt being a turtleneck, and he was in a new outfit that definitely didn't come from my closet. He buttoned his jeans and smoothed down the front of his t-shirt before leaving my room.

I sank below the sheets, hoping the turtleneck obscured the mysterious bite. I would never hurt Mia. I couldn't. She was my sister. I would never see her as anything less.


	11. Case File 011 - The Sibling Complex

**A/N:** Bleh, sorry this took so long. I've been really delving into my original fictions lately.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 011 - _The Sibling Complex_

* * *

The last thing I expected to hear was laughter. I pulled the covers tighter to my neck, shivering miserably from the pain. Who the hell was laughing with Goku? It couldn't be my sister. She was only slightly a fan, which had probably changed since I vanished from the bar. I cursed my sickness and wished I could get out of bed to see who had come to visit me. Maybe it was Rachel. She was _definitely _a Goku fan; that much had been made crystal clear the entire night we were all out together.

The door creaked shut and they clapped each other on the shoulder like they were old friends. The second voice sounded… deep. It definitely wasn't someone I knew. I frowned and peered over the covers as the two of them walked down the hall toward my bedroom. Seth might have come down to check on me in place of Mia. He was always doing whatever the hell she wanted. Suck up.

It wasn't nearly as bad now that I was lying down. The pain ebbed and flowed like the tide, arriving in waves that I could brace myself for. I still trembled and grimaced but I didn't feel like I was about to die. My doorknob jiggled and I managed to prop myself up, brow furrowed in confusion. Had Goku allowed a stranger in the house? He was certainly dumb enough. I couldn't wait until I was strong enough to wipe the smug smirk off his face for good.

Two men stepped inside my bedroom. Goku was the first, grinning and chatting with the man following behind him. My eyes widened in surprise. The second guy was similar to Goku: tall, built and he had seriously creepy black eyes. But he had long hair that tapered in a mane down his back, barely held into a ponytail by an orange band. He looked… meaner. I sank below my sheets again when I saw a tail curled around his waist. Oh no. All his buddies were going to find us.

Goku slung an arm around the other man's shoulders and pointed to me. "This… this is Harper. I followed her scent from halfway across the country." He leaned closer to his comrade, smirking conspiratorially. "She's mine. I like her, even if she's a pain in the ass sometimes. I did what Nappa said and she's been whining about it all morning. I think you'll enjoy her company as much as I do."

I would've snarled if I had the strength. Instead, I flipped both of them off, risking exposing my skin to the cold around me. "Piss off, freaks. I'm turning you in as soon as I can walk."

"Why don't you break her legs?" the man asked, cracking his knuckles. "Too much of a wuss, Kakarot? I'll hold her down for you so you get to feel the snap. I know that's your favorite part of killing a human—when they squirm and panic."

Goku flashed his teeth in a malevolent smile. "Not this one, Raditz. She shows promise. If you press her buttons enough, the Saiyan in her comes out to play. I'll let you try it when she can stand up on her own two feet again, which shouldn't be for a few more days. Her blood is great, too. Sweet with a metallic tang, similar to a baby. But we need to keep her alive."

"I'll break your face if you come near me," I hissed.

"You've always liked the fiery ones." Raditz nudged Goku with his elbow and winked. "Remember the bet we had about Chi? Vegeta was sure he could fuck her first but you put on those sad puppy dog eyes and she was more than happy to open her legs for you. She couldn't wait to track you down. Bulma almost didn't send her because she seemed too eager. Sure as hell made it harder for me to escape."

"How are the others doing?" Goku asked. "I'm hoping they're all alive."

"Barely. Bulma's been nothing but paranoid since you left and I'm sure she got even worse after I ditched the joint. We've gotta get over there, pronto. If we fly we can make it there within a few days, courtesy of your new pet. Have you taught her how to use energy or is she more of a… toy?"

"Stop talking over me!" I demanded. Speaking loudly made my head swim but I puffed up indignantly anyhow. "I'm not going anywhere with you two! I have a job and family and rent—"

The blankets were suddenly yanked away and a hand gripped my chin to twist it to the side. Goku pulled down my turtleneck to reveal the hideous bite mark that pulsated painfully from the movement. I growled and thrashed as Raditz stepped closer, both beefy arms crossed over his chest. He puckered his lips and nodded as if he was impressed.

"You're keeping it?" Raditz asked. "Huh. You never struck me as the type. But I guess the last female of our kind is the best prize of all, eh? I wouldn't let Vegeta know about that. He'll gladly kill you for the rights to her."

I was thrown backwards into the pillows, spluttering furiously. Goku ruffled my hair condescendingly and shrugged. "She isn't pure blooded. I've been trying to draw it out but I haven't been here for very long. Besides, I'm not afraid of Vegeta or his cronies. Tarble hates fighting and Nappa's a bumbling idiot. I'm sure you and I could easily rip them to shreds."

"You're my brother, but I don't know if I'm willing to kill our prince over a woman for you," Raditz said.

"We'll see. I was intending on heading out of here within a week. Harper here has volunteered to come along with us and act as bait. Chi has been sniffing around for me so we shouldn't have to deal with her when we arrive, only Bulma and the usual suspects."

"Excuse me," I huffed, "I never agreed to go anywhere with you, especially after this radioactive bite you gave me. And you better not—"

"We need to leave sooner than that," Raditz said. "I'm worried Bulma will punish them. They all helped me escape so I could find you and return to break them free. We'll have to leave your human here and return for her after everything is said and done. She'll be fine. Chi will move on to the next city soon."

"No. She has to come with us." Goku sat beside me and idly leaned on my knee, supporting his chin in his palm. "She'll be useful. We have to wait a few days for the effects of the bite to wear off."

Raditz shook his head. "She could still die from it. We can't leave the other men in that hellhole any longer. Either you leave her here or I'll kill her to make sure you have nothing to distract you from our objective. You'll only been gone a few weeks and you're already soft for some _human._"

I shoved Goku off me to get to my knees, ignoring the pounding in my head. "HEY, ASSHOLES! I'm in the damn room, too! First off, your brother is anything but soft. Secondly, I'm not going anywhere. Go ahead and rescue your pals. I have to pay my rent, utilities, car insurance… I have way more concerns than you two freaks. What did you say you were? Saiyans? What a dumb name. Now get out!"

Both of them stared at me in surprise. Soon my wooziness took over and I collapsed into bed again, pulling up the covers around my neck to take a nap. Goku patted my arm and rose to follow his brother out of the room, leaving me in sweet, sweet silence. I sighed and closed my eyes. Good. They could figure out what they were gonna do and I'd just sleep the whole day away.

Soon I drifted off.

My dreams were pleasant. I was walking through a field with Mia, picking flowers and laughing about something Seth did. We talked about our lives. The sun shone brightly overhead, casting short shadows that offered no shade. There was a pleasant breeze rustling the long grass. It was the kind of dream that would make a nice coma for fifteen years. Mia and I, warm sunshine and plenty of pretty flowers. Yep, I'd be okay with that for all eternity.

It couldn't last, though. Nothing good ever does.

Violent shaking woke me during the high point of the dream. I groaned and swatted at the person but that just made them shake me even more until I was fully pulled into consciousness. I swore under my breath, rubbing the sleepiness from my eyes.

"Wake up, lazy," Goku said, adjusting my turtleneck so it covered my bite. "Your sister came over to see you. Can you walk?"

"Definitely not," I moaned. Nausea bubbled up in my throat and I quickly covered my mouth. "Don't let her see me like this. Tell her I'm puking. She hates puke."

More laughter from the living room. I looked up at Goku curiously and he shrugged, cringing when I shakily sat up in bed. Screw nausea. I'd vomit everywhere if that was what it took to be involved in all the fun stuff going on. I gripped his shoulder to ease myself out of bed and he immediately caught me when my knees wobbled. My cheeks burned with embarrassment—I hated being helplessly slung in his arms. He suddenly scooped me up in his arms bridal style to carry me from the room.

I winced. "Are you sure I can't see a doctor? I think some hydros are in order."

"Positive. Don't worry, it'll be over soon enough." He smiled down at me, black eyes eerily glittering. "I was hoping it would bring something out in you but that doesn't seem to be happening. We'll have to try some other things. You've got a tight seal over it."

"It isn't like I do it deliberately. It only comes out when you really piss me off or something. Or, you know, when you hurl pottery at my face. Please don't go around playing with my life to satisfy your curiosity. After I'm done entertaining you and your brother, I'd like to return to my normal life, no aliens involved. You can live on a farm or beam yourself back into space."

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere. You're mine, Harper. All mine."

We stepped into the living room, leaving no time for me to argue. I was beginning to worry that Goku had full intentions of keeping and tormenting me for my entire life. I'd have liked to help him but there was only so much one human woman could do. He carried me over to the couch and gently laid me down so I had a full view of my sister sitting on the chair. Goku sat by my feet, pulling them into his lap. Raditz was sitting on the floor beside my sister but the look he was giving her worried me…

Mia and the strange newcomer talked for a bit longer before she noticed my presence. I waved weakly and she offhandedly asked how I was feeling, then returned to talking to Raditz. When I looked to Goku in confusion he simply shrugged and began massaging my feet with the tips of his fingers. What? Mia wasn't panicking over my health? Maybe she was sick herself. I squinted at her and Raditz, trying to catch a hint of what they were discussing while Goku methodically kneaded the soles of my feet.

The two of them went on for a long time. The pain in my neck began to recede again, once again making me capable of moving. I stared incredulously at my sister and glanced at Goku for support. He was gazing at my neck but his eyes flickered so quickly to mine that I wasn't sure if I was seeing things. Apparently Mia and Raditz were thick as thieves. They were completely ignoring Goku and I to talk about things that were far more interesting.

Eventually, I decided to test something and see how distracted Mia was. I withdrew my feet from Goku's lap and yawned loudly, stretching and getting to my feet to signal I wanted to go to bed. Neither of them flinched. Irritated, I shuffled back to my bedroom and Goku tailed along close behind me. He shut the door quietly and I flopped down in bed spread eagle with an indignant huff.

"She just blew me off!" I exclaimed. "For like… two hours! Did she even notice me sitting there?"

Goku ran a hand through his messy hair. "She gets along well with Raditz. You should be happy she wasn't asking questions. Are you starting to feel better?"

I curled into my soft pillows, frowning deeply. "It comes and goes. Right now I'm fine. Jeez, can you believe her?! What a bitch! After she yells at me all the time for being sick, now it's suddenly no big deal. I wish she would stop being such a nosy, pushy pain in the ass."

"Are you jealous?" Goku murmured, coming to lie beside me.

"Jealous? Me? No! What the hell do I have to be jealous of? I'm annoyed that she acted like I didn't exist and now she's sitting in my apartment chatting up your brother. Seth would love to hear about this." I puckered my lips and leaned over Goku, stretching for my cell phone on the nightstand. "Yeah, that'll teach her to be rude. He'll come over here all mad and stuff."

The alien reached back to slip his fingers in mine and gently eased me over onto my back, wasting no time in crawling on top of me. He laughed at my flustered expression and craned his neck to kiss me on the tip of my nose. It made my skin tingle.

"Humans are so silly," Goku said. "Those two will be a while. Why don't you hang out with me, hm? We haven't had much time to bond properly."

"Get off before I throw you off."

"There you go again, telling me to get off. I don't think that means what you think it means." He rested more of his weight on me, still balancing himself with both palms on either side of my head.

"Don't be a pervert," I said, rubbing my face to hide the creeping blush. "You know what I mean. Remove yourself from on top of me."

The laughter from the living room became louder and I heard Mia's shoes clicking on the floor. Goku growled impatiently but rolled off so I could get up and hobble to my bedroom door. I swept around the corner and down the hallway, expecting to see her waiting, but she was already gone. Raditz twisted the lock and turned to grin at me. I felt Goku's hands rest on my shoulders.

"Your sister is pretty," Raditz said. "It would be a shame if something happened to her."


	12. Case File 012 - Lunar Effect

**A/N:** This... is shorter than the last one for some reason. Huh. I thought it was longer in Word... ah well. Just going to remind all my faithful, wonderful readers that this is a darkfic. Proceed with caution. I was in a very violent mood today.

**Warnings:** Gore w/tons of blood; mild lemon.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 012 - _Lunar Effect_

* * *

Night was beginning to encroach upon the fading light in my apartment, bathing Raditz's gruesome smile in sunset hues. Aching exhaustion spread through my limbs courtesy of the horrific bite on my neck but I did not stagger under the weight of Goku's palms. They couldn't threaten my sister. Mia was the closest thing I had to family and I wouldn't let anything happen to her. I clenched my jaw and glared up at Raditz, wishing desperately that I had the strength to punch him.

"Stay away from her," I said. "I'll kill you if you don't."

"Look at the little lion cub baring her fangs. Do what we ask and you sweet sister can carry on living her life the same way she intended." Raditz leaned on his knees and the smile vanished from his face. His black eyes were even colder than Goku's. "Resist and watch her die slowly."

Goku's hands slipped onto my biceps. "Raditz, the moon is gonna be full tonight. Aren't you going to hunt for a while? Mia offered you a place to stay as well."

The huge man straightened up and nodded. "I'll do that. Keep me posted on your human's progress, Kakarot. I want to return and rescue the others before it's too late. And try to hold yourself back so we aren't stuck in this town for another month. I know how you are with women."

Raditz left, leaving me alone in my apartment with Goku yet again. I shrugged him off and took a few wobbly steps toward the hall before nearly collapsing, but he managed to catch me in time. He easily scooped me up and carried me back to my bedroom where I pitifully crawled beneath the sheets. My neck was back to absolutely killing me. I'd need at least another week to recover.

The end of my bed shifted from Goku's weight. He had some serious abandonment issues. Every room I went to he followed me like a lost puppy and Oliver followed him in the same manner. I could be going to the bathroom and he'd be lurking in the closet, examining my coats curiously while the cat purred by his feet. I just wanted one night of peace and quiet to wallow in self-pity. I'd be more than happy to go back to teaching Goku how to be normal in the morning.

It became eerily silent, ushering in the sounds of crickets outside. I tossed and turned miserably to find a position that didn't aggravate my neck wound but nothing seemed to help. Goku didn't budge. He was still as a stone and weighed nearly as much. All I wanted was some damn sleep!

Moonlight poured through the window. I desperately pulled my pillow over my head and struggled to go into a dreaming state. One sheep, two sheep, three sheep… Warm milk sounded more appealing than counting. It helped when I couldn't fall asleep in the foster home after Mia had drifted off. Grimacing, I forced myself to sit up in bed and rubbed my head. I could sense Goku still hadn't moved.

"Christ, can you _move_?!" I demanded. "I'm trying to rest so we can go get your friends but you're sitting here like a freak as usual. Go play with the cat or stare into space on the couch. You're interrupting my… my…"

I'd raised my eyes to see Goku staring directly at me, unflinching. His irises had turned blood red and the color seeped into the whites of his eyes like a creeping poison. My breath caught in my throat. Sharp pain lanced down my neck, striking through to my pounding heart. His hands were resting on his thighs and his nails were steadily sharpening into talons with a sickening crackle that became the only sound in the room. I could taste my heartbeat on my tongue.

Goku's eyes began to widen as the red spread further. My eyes flickered to his ears, which had lengthened and grown to a jagged tip that stuck out from his wild black hair. It was hard to tell in the darkness but I thought his face was protruding further and his teeth were beginning to erupt from his mouth, erratically fitting together like an alligator's. I couldn't even dream of running away.

The bite on my neck began to boil viciously. I yelped and slumped forward, forgetting I was sitting across from a violent murder from outer space that looked like he wanted to cut a few throats. It was a new kind of agony; blistering pain that seared my nerves all the way down my spine to my tailbone. I gnashed my teeth together, rolling over on my stomach to shriek into the bed in hopes it would deter Goku. Blind spots popped up in my vision and tears poured from my eyes.

Through the torrents of pain, I vaguely registered Goku standing up. A cool breeze blew in the window and the curtains swayed around him as he stared out into the night, both glowing red eyes focused on the moon. He cast a glance at me over his shoulder and hopped up on the windowsill. It was getting hard to breathe. Dear god, _the pain_. If it didn't stop I was going to stab myself.

Goku leapt out the window without even a word of explanation. I stared in blank shock for several seconds then screamed angrily, slamming my fist on the bed and crying as red hot pain ricocheted up and down my spinal cord. The one time I could have used some goddamn answers and he went flying out the window. Typical fucking man.

Sweat was pouring from my skin again, drenching my fresh sheets in another bodily fluid. The room spun as I sat up, almost immediately losing my balance and toppling to the floor in a moaning, shuddering mess. I wiped the tears from my eyes and dragged myself across the carpet towards the door. If I could make it to the bathroom I'd be able to lie in the tub and wash off some of the sweat. It could help the horrible stabbing in my back, too.

In the bathroom, I gripped the edge of the sink to haul myself up off the linoleum. I leaned heavily on the countertop and stared at my pallid reflection in the mirror for a few moments of lucidity. The image shifted and morphed but I could see my irises were turning the same haunting shade of red as Goku's. I pulled down on my eyelids, bursting into tears again at the sight of my transformation.

Someone was pounding on the front door and shouting my name. Terrified, I blindly twisted the lock to the bathroom and sank to the floor again to brace my back against it. My neighbors could hear me screaming in agony. Of course someone would come to check on me. I hid my face in my trembling hands as my raging fever intensified to a seriously dangerous level.

"Open up, Harper! Are you okay? We can hear you through the entire building!"

Delirious, I crawled on hands and knees to the bathtub, sweaty fingers slipping on the metal knobs. I dunked my head under the nozzle the minute water began pouring out and it offered mild relief from the unbearable heat beneath my skin. I didn't bother taking off my clothes and awkwardly slid off the edge of the tub to collapse in the swelling pool of cool water, sighing happily as it swirled around my body. It was so hot. I was getting so tired. I just wanted to sleep for the rest of my life…

I wasn't sure how long I passed out for. My fingers and toes were pruny and rough so I assumed it had to have been a few hours. The bathroom door broke down and three people entered, calling my name in loud voices that didn't quite reach my ears. I mumbled incoherently as they hoisted me from the tub and something surprised one, who immediately dropped me back in the water. A woman screamed.

There was something sprouting from the base of my spine. It was twitching.

"I can't let any of you leave now."

It was him. My heart leapt at the sound of Goku's husky voice and I weakly opened my eyes just to feel a warm wetness splatter across my face. There were no shrieks of pain, no protests or begging. All three of their bodies dropped to the floor with a nauseating squelch and I carelessly smeared the blood across my face. The water was up to my breasts. It spilled over the edge of the tub and turned the blood a light pink color that slowly seeped between the tiles.

I could see him sucking blood off his fingers. They shrank back to normal but his eyes still looked slightly bloodshot. Goku laughed when I tried to climb out of the tub and lifted me out by the armpits. It was cold—how had I not noticed? I shuddered as he sat me down in the ocean of blood and water to peel off my wet clothes, talking to himself about covering up the deaths of three people. He was kneeling in front of me covered head to toe in gore.

Before I could question what he had been doing, I was suddenly lying flat on my back. There was blood in my hair. It'd take forever to get it out. Goku was hovering over me, red eyes burning with another kind of hunger I hadn't seen in him before. We stared at one another. I was still half-conscious.

"You son of a bitch," I whispered.

Hot, bloody lips found mine in a swift moment of passion. Goku wasted no time deepening the kiss and his hand slammed so hard into the tile next to my head that I heard it shatter. He gripped the back of my head to force my mouth against his but I was far from resisting. My fingers were all over his arms, greedy and curious to feel the tense muscles I watched from afar. I barely knew him but I couldn't remember ever wanting a man so badly.

He pulled on my hair to expose my neck, focusing all his attention on the sensitive bite mark. My eyes rolled back in my head and I twisted his thick black hair in my fingers. Dear god, since when did that start feeling so amazing? I writhed too much for Goku's liking and he snarled into the crook of my neck, pinning my wrists above my head with one of his hands. My blood was boiling with excitement. I found myself growling back.

The strange appendage at the base of my spine and curled around my waist. I didn't care as long as it stayed out of my way. Goku's mouth was on mine again, bringing back the metallic flavor of blood. We were lying in a pool of it. There were dead people scarcely three feet away from us.

We rolled over. I pinned Goku by his palms, growling like an angry cat, and he snapped his teeth at me. His hands wandered down my body to settle on hips so he could push me against his arousal. My spine arched and my fingers trailed back up his arms to slide up his shirt and feel the solid muscle of his abdomen tensing and tightening with each grinding movement.

One of the Saiyan's hands wound around my back to gently stroke the protrusion from my spine. I bit my lower lip so hard that more blood drew into my mouth. There was so much blood. We were practically bathing in it by now. Where did it end? Where did it even begin?

Why did I feel so… happy?

I don't know. Maybe it had to do with the perfectly toned Greek god lying underneath me, watching me with half-lidded red eyes like I was the only thing that mattered. My nails dug into Goku's stomach to draw even more blood from his flesh. I had tunnel vision. All I could see or care about was drenched in the blood of innocent people.

His hand withdrew from the thing growing out of me and I instinctively tried to grab it back, wrapping the protrusion around his thick wrist. Goku blinked and laughed, holding up his hand in front of my face. I moved to swat his arm away before I noticed there was a familiar look to the thing…

"Huh," Goku panted, grinning up at me, "guess the tail matches the hair sometimes."

There was a dark blonde tail curled tightly around his wrist. It was splattered with blood.

Reality hit me so hard that I physically fell backwards off Goku, slipping in the gore covering the linoleum. I scrambled away and stared in wide-eyed terror at the twitching tail until I bumped into something stiff. When I turned, I met the glassy gaze of a corpse. His mouth was twisted in an eternal scream; every emotion was still etched into his skin.

My exhausted mind failed me. I fainted.


	13. Case File 013 - The Passion Paradox

**A/N:** Doo de doo. I'm watching "Lolita." That would be an interesting plot. Perhaps I'll do that for my next story. FANTASTIC movie by the way-I love the 1997 version. EDIT: Yep, it would be Goku as Humbert and probably Bulla as Lolita because she fits the archetype so well. It'd be completely A/U and take place in the same time/location as the novel.

EDIT2: So. The new cover image is absolutely amazing fantastic artwork by Moomlu. She's made me a few pictures and I love them. It always puts me in a fangirly mood and you can thank her for the rapid updates recently because I was starting to slack! :D

**Warnings:** Mild lemon.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 013 - _The Passion Paradox_

* * *

The thrum of a heartbeat against my ear woke me from unconsciousness.

Sensation began traveling through my limbs as I slowly came back to the world, blearily opening my eyes to see a hazy outline of my bedroom. I was lying on top of something warm and solid that gently rose and fell, coaxing me back to sleep. Fingers slithered through my hair. My eyelids started to droop again and I strongly considered going back to bed for a while. I was so exhausted.

The fingers paused. "Are you awake, Harper?"

"Mmph." My face was pressing into whatever pillow I had curled up with.

Suddenly, said pillow shifted and I became aware that I was lying in between someone's legs. One arm was wound around my back to help hold me in place while I slept. My eyes opened unwillingly to see that the person was wearing a bright orange shirt with a strange symbol on the left breast. I became painfully aware that I was lying on top of Goku, passed out on his chest right above his heart.

Oh no. He'd never let me live this one down.

I recoiled too fast for my own reflexes and wound up slamming into the footboard of my bed, panting in wide-eyed fear. Goku sat up, casually leaning an elbow on his knee and rubbing his head. There was a grin on his face but it wasn't particularly threatening. His eyes were back to normal and from what I could tell, he didn't have grotesque talons. He scratched his square jaw, angling his mouth to expose teeth that flashed in the morning light.

Something within me stirred at the sight. A rumbling growl vibrated through my chest and I felt hairs standing up on my newest appendage, an awkward blonde tail that was currently wrapped around my waist. How was I supposed to explain it? It almost had a mind of its own so I had no hopes of controlling what it decided to do. I quickly covered my mouth when the growls escalated to snarling.

Goku rested his chin in his palm. "I never imagined the moon would pull on you, too. Good thing I wound down so quickly and came back to check. There were three humans in your bathroom talking about calling the police when they saw your tail, but they're gone now. I ate the woman but threw the men in a river the next town over. Also cleaned up your bathroom while you were passed out in here. Sometimes I forget how much blood humans have."

My chest tightened uncomfortably and I couldn't hide my grimace. I'd forgotten about what Goku and I had done the night before, rolling around in blood making out like animals. Warmth gathered in the bite and seeped down my chest toward my stomach. A blush crept into my cheeks that he noticed in an instant. It was hard to hide anything from him.

"What was that, anyway?" I asked, trying to ignore his widening grin.

"Oh, nothing. We react to blutz waves that reflect off the moon from the sun. Every month we have that one special day to go on a killing spree until the insanity wears off." He idly leaned forward, eyeing me with increasing intrigue. "It's a reaction in our tails so I'm sure the same thing will happen to you. You still don't have the energy of a full-blooded Saiyan but you have the scent. I never thought I'd see the day." He cocked his head and his tail flickered behind him impatiently.

"This is just some stupid trick," I snapped. "I'll cut this thing off and go back to work. I'm feeling much better and I'm sure Claire would like some extra help."

"Harper."

I hopped off the bed, grasping my tail tightly in a fist. "What?!"

The Saiyan also rose and stood before me with a smug look on his face. He was so damn tall. "I just told you I ate a human and you didn't even flinch."

"I'm a bit preoccupied with other _things—_" I angrily waved my limp tail in his face, bursting at the seams with rage "—to worry about your diet plan. Do whatever you want Goku. Go eat fifty more people and see if I care. They're all worthless, insignificant little worms. The planet would be better off without them and I need to make myself some damn breakfast."

The words dribbled out of my mouth like poisonous saliva. I clapped both palms over my lips and Goku clapped slowly a few times. Holy shit. Had I just said those things? That was terrible! I didn't want innocent people to die at my expense. Come to think of it, I didn't even know who Goku killed. They were only trying to help me and I was responsible for their gruesome deaths.

I should have felt bad but I really didn't. My tail curled around my waist, still acting of its own accord, and Goku patted me on the shoulder comfortingly. I was turning into a freak. I wasn't human.

We walked out to the kitchen, where Oliver was feasting on his kibble. He meowed happily and leapt up on the counter to purr at me while I rummaged through cabinets in search of food. My stomach was so empty it was twisting itself in knots. Goku casually sat at the table without a care in the world.

There was nothing left. He'd broken into my house, tried to kill me, turned me into an alien, bitten me… and ate all my fucking food. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingertips. The list of transgressions was getting too long to keep track of. I'd only known him for a few days and already allowed him to walk his weird boots all over me. Not to mention I'd given into temptation while we were lying in a pool of blood.

"D'you want to pick up where we left off?"

My spine stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"Last night." He drummed his fingers on the table. Was his breathing loud or was my hearing improved? "I know you remember. You were all over me and I didn't even have to force you."

"I was not! You must be delirious from—"

"Oh, Goku, you son of a bitch!" he said in a mockingly high-pitched voice. "Mmm, I liked that part. Do you think you can moan and scratch more this time? We could kill a whole town of humans and fuck in a pool of blood if you want. You look so hot with that tail. If you hadn't passed out like a little baby we could've been at it all night."

My stomach gurgled and I spun around angrily to slam my hands on the table. "Keep your pervy comments to yourself. We need to go get some food before I eat Oliver's, so get your ass out of that chair and put on some of the clothes you stole. That's right, I know you've been sneaking in people's houses nabbing things. Jerk. I should hit you for that."

Goku's eyes followed my writhing tail. I quickly grabbed it again to hold it firmly and prevent any more uprisings. What a royal pain in the ass. Literally.

"Now you're just teasing me," he said. He stood, black eyes boiling with a familiar desire. "I hate being teased."

I stuck out my tongue unctuously. "Boo hoo. Put on some normal clothes so we don't stick out. Preferably something with a hood. Your hair looks ridiculous."

A hand lashed out to snatch my hair that normally would have gone right past me. My eyes were faster now—I easily deflected Goku's wrist and slammed it back on the table, expecting to meet a frustrated look. But he was excited beyond a doubt. The cords in his biceps were protruding from the strain of containing himself and his tail was winding itself in corkscrews.

It still wasn't a look I was used to seeing. I withdrew my hand and politely coughed into my fist, sidling past Goku to walk to the bathroom. He abruptly shoved me against the refrigerator and held his arms on either side of my head in an inescapable cage. My lip curled instinctively at the threat.

"Guess what I did last night?" he asked, drawing his index finger along my throat up to the tip of my chin. It was a taunt.

When I slapped his hand he purposefully crushed me against the fridge, pressing our bodies together in suggestive ways. I couldn't even turn my head. All I could see were two black eyes studying me. He held my chin firmly in his fingers, awaiting my response. I mustered up the deepest scowl possible and attempted to look uninterested.

"What?" I replied.

"You were all wet and covered in blood. Lucky for you, I'm a nice guy. I cleaned up the bodies and the blood, drained the tub, and got rid of the spill." Goku's free hand pushed aside the neckline of my shirt, exposing the strangely numb bite mark. "Then I took off all your clothes and gave you a bath. It was great. You were half-conscious, muttering and making weird faces."

My hands clenched into fists and the blush came back to my cheeks with a vengeance. He'd seen me naked. Unconscious, drenched in blood, and naked. It sent shivers down my spine just thinking of it. Had he done anything to me while I was passed out? Maybe his hands traveled a bit too much. But nothing felt out of place or… touched.

I shrugged, trying to stay nonchalant. "That's fine. Thanks for the help."

"It was truly my pleasure. So what do you think? Shouldn't we finish what you started?"

"I didn't start anything! You kissed me and blew everything out of proportion. Don't call me a tease because you think you're entitled to me."

"But I am entitled to you," Goku said, rubbing his thumb over the bite. "C'mon, quit being such a prude. You've known me for long enough and I know you want to." He flashed a grin that riled up my hormones into a tornado of activity. He was so damn cocky.

Fighting back was still excruciatingly hard. I braced my palms flat against Goku's chest and pushed, eliciting a delighted growl from his throat and a few extra inches of breathing space. He relented to wrap his arms around my back, promptly turning and slamming me onto the table. Oliver watched with vague interest, licking food from the corners of his mouth.

The edge of the table dug into the small of my back just above my tail. It wrapped around my thigh as Goku restrained my writhing hands above my head. He crushed his pelvis into mine when I refused to stop struggling and pain ricocheted down the length of my tail, drawing a yelp from my lips.

The Saiyan bore down on me, leaning the weight of his chest against mine to ravage my neck with kisses. I panted underneath him and arched my back to avoid accidentally severing my tail on the corner of the table. _Christ_, he was strong. Every movement of his hips against mine felt like I was being hit by an unstoppable force of nature rather than a man. The table scraped on the floor.

Goku leaned forward to grip the opposite side of the table and hold it still. Our eyes met for only a brief second. I tore my hands free and eagerly grabbed his face to pull his mouth to mine, relishing the feeling of his hot tongue. The skin on his face was smooth and flawless but my fingers were more interested in twisting knots through his thick black hair. I heard the wood splintering under Goku's hand.

"Don't destroy my furniture!" I said, breaking our kiss.

He grunted in response, capturing my mouth with his again. The table groaned from the weight and Goku finally scooped me up with one arm to carry me into the hallway. Thankfully my bedroom door was already open, giving him ample time to throw me down on the mattress. My breathing was shallow from excitement and I propped myself up on my forearms to watch him.

Goku stood back for a moment to pull off his shirt and I was left gawking at his ribbed stomach that twitched with each breath. The tan skin of his throat gracefully tapered over sinew and tendons I had never noticed before. My eyes roamed over his broad shoulders up to his fathomless black eyes.

My heart gave a powerful thud. I'd never imagined I'd sleep with someone like Goku. He was crude and rough; definitely different from the guys I usually kept around. He was suddenly on top of me again, tugging at the buttons of my shirt. I touched his arms and the muscle underneath rippled. Screw all of that emotional crap. All I knew was that I wanted him. Immediately.

There was nothing wrong with that. I didn't have to be madly in love with and committed to every guy I let between my legs. That was what having my freedom was all about, right? I took birth control, used condoms, and was polite to whatever guy came through my door. Desire and release were all that mattered in the end. Everything else was a temporary illusion. He was just like the rest.

Then Goku's dark eyes were looking into mine, alluring and penetrating; murky with hidden secrets I was burning to hear. The most interesting man in the world was on top of me, grinding his arousal into mine without glancing away from me even for a second. We were staring at one another, panting and sweating and kissing and touching in the soft morning light.

It dawned upon me that I might not mind bickering with Goku for the rest of my life.

That reaction terrified me more than any of the cruel jabs he made or the way he shoved me into walls. I pressed my lips in a firm line, wrestling with the new facet to my relationship with the vicious alien. How could I… how could I think of Goku in that way? He wasn't exactly the domestic type. He'd lose interest in me after a while and move on to the next women. I knew how men like him were. He'd been lonely growing up so he tried to fill the void with sex. It was safer than a real relationship. He was—

My nails dug into his muscular back. His forehead was resting on mine and he watched me through half-lidded eyes, groaning as my grip intensified.

He was a lot like me.

A jovial ringtone interrupted us, drawing Goku's eyebrows together angrily. He reached across the bed to my nightstand and grabbed my phone to check the caller ID. I stared at him, tracing the square shape of his jaw with my eyes. Dear god. What was I doing?

"Whatddya want?" he asked gruffly.

"Steve, please tell me Harper's okay! There were a ton of murders last night around Bennington." Mia's voice was shrill with fear.

Goku's body shuddered and I heard him gnash his teeth together, struggling to restrain himself. "She's fine. Busy. Call back later. Bye."

"Wait, let me—"

The call ended with a beep. He carelessly tossed the phone aside and tore open the front of my shirt, exposing my breasts to his ravenous mouth. I swallowed hard. No, no, no, what was I _doing_? Was I drunk or something? He was a raging prick and I was comparing myself to him. We had nothing in common. I was a pretty nice person while he was an alien with a penchant for murder. He would've gladly killed me if I hadn't been a Saiyan.

My eyes widened as his lips pulled gently on my nipple. Oh shit. I kept forgetting that I was one of them now. I had the tail and the callousness and I was strong and…

Hooded black eyes looked up at me over my breast; cheeks indented from sucking and tinted a light shade of pink. One of his big hands eclipsed my other breast, squeezing roughly. Looking at him made all my worries seem trivial. I smiled weakly.

"What?" he asked. His shoulders had a sheen of sweat.

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"Saiyans don't think. They act on instinct. If you want something, you do it and worry about the consequences later. Like me breaking out of my facility. I acted and now I'm thinking." Goku pulled himself up to kiss the bite mark. It tickled.

"I… Goku, look, I…"

Someone was pounding on my front door again, drawing Goku's mouth away from my skin. He swore under his breath and sat up to run a hand through his thick hair. His eyes appraised me for a few seconds before he answered the call of the door, unwillingly rising from the bed. When I moved to stand, he pushed me back down.

"Stay," he ordered. "I'll be right back."

I watched him walk to the hall and lean out, standing quite still. If I was offered the opportunity, I would gladly stare at the way his shoulder blades shadowed the thick muscles in his back all day. He was perfect. I looked down at my own body, frowning. My stomach was flat but I didn't have the body of a goddess or anything. I'd have to work on it so Goku and I were—

He whirled around, black eyes wide. "We need to leave."

"Harper Williams?" called a familiar voice. "This is Agent Chi. You are hereby under arrest."


	14. Case File 014 - Wanderlust

**A/N:** My chapters are short but I write so many that I guess it doesn't matter... Oh, and if anyone's curious, the cover image is by Moomlu! She's been sending me seriously amazing artwork and I'd like to share it with all of you. Like I said, you can thank her for the rapid updates recently.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 014 - _Wanderlust_

* * *

"Under arrest?" I echoed, staring at Goku. "I thought you said they had no idea. Didn't you throw the bodies away and clean everything up?"

The pounding on my door grew louder. Goku cursed and shut the bedroom door, flipping the lock in place. He dragged me off the bed and threw me carelessly to the floor to barricade the door with my bed. I watched in awe as he easily hoisted it off the ground and dropped it in place. He did the same with my dresser and nightstand, trapping us in my bedroom.

"Someone must have seen me come back to the apartment," Goku said. "Son of a bitch. I thought I was careful. Must've been lightheaded from the full moon. Hurry up and put some clothes on. We can get whatever we need on the road."

Oliver lurked around my ankles and I hastily scooped him up. "We can't leave Ollie behind."

It sounded like my door was about the break. The Saiyan angrily spun around while pulling on clothes, much to my chagrin. I liked it better when he was half naked. Wait, wait, no I didn't. Freudian slip. I was completely unattracted to him and only considered sex because… um…

"We don't have room for him," he snapped. "We can tell Mia what happened and she'll take care of him. Oh god, I hope they didn't find my brother. He probably waltzed out in public with his damn tail showing and alerted the cops. I knew I should've kept him locked up."

"No! I'm not leaving Oliver here to die!"

The cat was torn from my grasp, yowling and writhing in Goku's hand. He tossed him aside and straddled my hips to hold me down. I struggled but he managed to pull a shirt over my head then slammed me into the carpet, grasping my chin firmly in his fingers. He had a frightening expression of rage and fear compounded into one glare. I wished my tail let me turn invisible.

"Screw the cat," Goku said. "_You _are the only thing that matters."

The door broke down and heavy footsteps rushed into my apartment. Goku dragged me to my feet, clutched his forehead in frustration, then produced a backpack from my closet. He grabbed Oliver by the tail to throw him in the bag and shoved it into my arms. I zipped it open a bit to give Ollie some fresh air. Goku picked up my cell phone, along with my car keys and snatched my wrist.

My window shattered with one swift kick. The glass spilled out, refracting light as it tumbled down to the street. Goku moved to pick me up and I stepped back.

"I'm scared of heights," I explained.

He started laughing. "Shut up, Harper."

The invaders began shoving against my bedroom door. Goku slung the backpack across his broad shoulders, drawing an irritated growl from Oliver. He held me to his chest to hide my eyes from the horror of flight and hopped up on the windowsill, supporting me with one arm and himself with the other. His black eyes scanned the sky for several moments and I clutched the front of his shirt to bury my face against his shoulder. We looked like a really awkward bird of prey.

There was no sensation of falling like I had expected. The next thing I knew, air was brushing past my face, reminding me that I had forgotten to throw my hair in a ponytail. I risked a peek and was met with the smooth arch of Goku's throat that led up to his Adam's apple. He had both arms wrapped around my waist and in turn, I had wrapped my legs around his waist.

We were flying in the middle of the day in a small town. That wasn't going to go over well.

But the atmosphere was surprisingly warm. Goku climbed higher into the sky to hide us in the clouds and I was occasionally doused in cool water that had yet to precipitate. He was silent. I reached around his back to scratch Oliver's head and the cat purred happily until he dropped off to sleep against Goku's back. I wished I could've done the same but I was still wired from our recent encounter.

The longer we flew, the more uncomfortable I became. I was thinking too much. What did he mean by "you're the only thing that matters?" Was it because I was the last female? Was it because he wanted to sleep with me? It had to be one of those two things. Goku didn't really care otherwise. I was one of those girls you could easily forget about. I awkwardly pulled strings out of his shirt, avoiding the overwhelming urge to kiss his neck.

_Get a grip, Harper. Stop setting yourself up for disappointment. Do what he and his crazy brother want then move to a different town and try to settle down._

I cleared my throat. "Mia should know where I am. She's going to worry."

"No. That'll just make things worse. Raditz's energy is at our rendezvous point. We'll meet up with him and decide where to head next. He already robbed a few banks on the way here so money shouldn't be an issue. Maintaining a low profile with three Saiyans will be the tough part."

"Don't call me that," I grumbled. "I still feel human."

Goku's arm tightened around me and he reached up to support the back of my head. It was a welcome relief. My neck was starting to hurt. I relaxed into his palm, closing my eyes. The sun was pleasant on my skin, and Oliver was still purring in his sleep. Maybe we'd make it out of this thing alive. Neither of us talked again for a while, silently drifting through the clouds and past flocks of birds.

"Y'know how I could tell you weren't human?" Goku asked suddenly.

"Enlighten me," I murmured, half asleep.

There was silence. I waited patiently for words but Goku was quiet once again. Annoyed, I turned my face to rest my cheek in his hand. His thumb stroked tendrils of hair from my face. I hesitantly opened an eye to see him gazing at me in a way I never imagined. It was almost unsettling.

His face screwed up into a forced scowl and he rolled his eyes. "Nevermind."

I raised an eyebrow and grinned as Goku's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Now who was hiding secrets? If I played my cards right I could extract the truth from his lips. He was already on the verge of telling me but he still needed that last push.

"Now you have to tell me," I said.

He abruptly shoved my face into his chest. His heart was beating so hard I could feel it reverberate through my bones. "Shut up. I don't have to tell you anything, woman."

We landed moments later in a wide clearing, surrounded by rows of tall, swaying trees. Goku dropped me on the ground and rubbed the back of his head to look aloof again. I requested my phone and he threw it on my stomach. It was already three in the afternoon, which meant we'd been flying for a long time. I sat up and watched Goku pacing around with his hands in his pockets. His tail was twitching freely now, unbound from his waist. Mine was still locked around my midsection.

Oliver leapt out of the backpack to curl up with me on the ground while we waited for Raditz. I bit my lower lip, waiting impatiently for Goku to say something about us nearly having sex. The Saiyan was silent and pensive as he circled the clearing with his eyes to the sky. It was a pain. Normally I hated when he teased me but not I was sort of looking forward to it.

My stomach growled. We had yet to get any food. I'd have to eat Goku if we could find anything within another hour. I'd never felt so hungry in my entire life. I rubbed my gut, grimacing. There had to be a black hole where my stomach was supposed to be. It was painful and squeezing in anticipation for a big meal. Ollie had already eaten his breakfast but Goku and I had yet to do so.

I scowled up at Goku, following his path around the clearing. No, I hadn't eaten because he already stuffed his face with my food and decided he was in the mood for a quickie. Now he was acting self-righteous and refused to speak to me or finish the stupid conversation he started in the air.

Men. One minute they were sweet and kind and you were the most important thing in their life and the next you were dumped on the cold, hard earth. The next time Goku tried to get in my pants I'd shove him away and refuse. I needed to have a little more respect for myself and stop justifying sleeping with him. We didn't have anything in common. That was ludicrous.

My eyes were riveted to Goku's aggravated face and slowly roamed down his body, remembering how it felt on top of mine. Neat crept into my face and I quickly looked away for a ferocious Oliver-petting session. No. I just needed to exert some control over myself and everything would be fine.

Raditz dropped down from the sky in the next minute. He landed with a heavy thud and turned to stuff a duffel bag into his brother's arms without saying a word. The two clapped one another on the shoulder and the older Saiyan faced me, hands clenched into fists at his sides. My tail flicked back and forth to mirror my irritation with the dirty looks he was constantly shooting my way.

"So there _is _hope," Radtiz muttered. "Take care of my brother, Harper. I hope to see both of you within a few weeks at the facility."

"Why don't we travel together?" Goku asked.

"It's too dangerous. If we split up, we lower the chance of all of us being captured." Raditz's black eyes followed my tail, wide and surprised. "Or worse, killed. It's the only way to guarantee at least one of us will make it back to rescue the others. You two have more than enough money. Maintain a low profile and protect one another when things get tough. Chi will be on high alert from now on."

"But there's strength in numbers," Goku insisted. He dropped the bag and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Harper is nearly Saiyan now so she can defend herself. You already know I'm fully capable of snapping a few necks and—"

Raditz suddenly shoved Goku away, eyes flaring with rage. "Do as I say! Protect the livelihood of our people instead of throwing it away over pointless feelings. If we can rescue the others and garner a spaceship, we can begin our race anew. This goes beyond us, brother. Besides…" He looked down at me and stared intently at the now throbbing bite on my neck. "There is no room for me here."

"There's always room. Please, Raditz, this female means nothing to me. I'll gladly leave her here so we can save our comrades. Don't be reckless."

"I've spoken with Harper's sister," Raditz said, moving his gaze to the sky. He smiled slightly. "She's a fine woman; wise beyond her years. I never thought… ah, I guess there's a first time for everything. We musn't blame humans for the mistakes their leaders have made. Perhaps there is hope for them."

The older Saiyan left before anything more could be said. Goku glared at him as he flew off and threw the duffel bag full of money to me. I curiously opened it and nearly fainted at all the one hundred dollar bills within. There must have been enough money to buy three houses. How had Raditz managed to steal so much money without attracting suspicion?

I scrambled to my feet when Goku set off into the woods without another word. Nothing felt like an obstacle anymore—I could easily hop over tree stumps and other hurdles without difficulty. It was sort of nice not needing protection. Oliver leapt back into the bookbag and peered out into the forest from the security of my back while I carried hundreds of thousands of dollars in my arms.

"'Scuse me," I said, "but we should figure out what we're gonna do with all this money."

"Carry it. What the hell else would we do?"

"Oh, sorry, I'm just not comfortable carrying millions of dollars around," I snapped.

"Get used to it," Goku retorted. "We're nearly through New York State so we'll find a hotel in Pennsylvania to settle down in for the night. The facility is in central Kansas. It's going to take us a while to get there, especially with how slow you still are. I don't want to risk flying."

"We're walking to _Kansas_?! Are you insane?!"

The two of us entered another wider clearing, with a pretty creek and deer casually munching on grass. It was beautiful. I hadn't been out in nature for a long time.

Goku looked down at me, grinning. "I hope you're wearing comfortable shoes."


	15. Case File 015 - Hybristophilia

**A/N**: Sorry about how long it took for me to update. I've been really depressed but I'm starting to get over it. Anywho, enjoy the chapter. :)

**Warnings:** Mild lime.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 015 - _Hybristophilia_

* * *

Water ran over my shoulders, washing away the dirt and grime from the long day of walking I had with Goku. It was exhausting. We had to stay in the woods to avoid being seen by passerby and he never slowed down to let me keep up. I was always far behind him with the outrageous sum of money stuffed in my backpack and Oliver running at my heels. He was determined to rescue his friends.

Neither of us spoke at all until night arrived. Goku wanted to sleep outside but I insisted on settling down in a hotel for the night. We were already halfway through Pennsylvania when we finally found a small motel to stay in. I wanted separate rooms but Goku insisted that we stay together in the off chance that Chi-Chi found us. There was some strength in numbers.

I grasped my tail and awkwardly scrubbed it with a sponge. Gaining a new appendage wasn't easy. It wasn't quite connected with my nerves so it did what it wanted most times or lashed out according to my emotions. I'd practiced keeping it wrapped around my waist throughout the day but sometimes I'd find it coiled like a spring or hoisting Oliver off the ground. I wanted to ask Goku questions and learn how to control it but he was too far away to hear me.

I finished my shower and put on a robe. Goku left to find us some clothes—he claimed to have "cool technology" from Bulma that made carrying a lot of stuff around much easier. I sighed as I flopped down on the bed, rubbing my face. In the past week, I met and developed a crush on a crazy alien who was now being tracked down by the federal government. I just wanted to be a waitress again.

Oliver silently ate his dinner, glaring at me for giving him a bath. There were still some burrs stuck in his fur from all the walking we had done. I intended on leaving him behind at the hotel, even if it hurt to never see him again. A cat had no business walking around with us. I would never forgive myself if the poor thing was injured or killed during our time on the run.

The door to the small room opened and Goku slipped inside, apparently empty-handed. He was wearing a plain black shirt and jeans close to what I had given him the day after we met. His black eyes were distant, brow furrowed in frustration. I scooted back on the bed to give him a spot to sit down.

"Here," he said, withdrawing a small pill shaped object from his pocket. "I found this in my training gi. Completely forgot Bulma gave me one. You can put a ton of stuff in it and no one will know the difference. It's probably a good place to put the cat and the money, in case we run into any obstacles."

I frowned as I examined the strange thing. "How does that work? Magic?"

"You're running from the government with an alien. Don't start questioning reality now." Goku leaned back and folded his big arms behind his head. He bit his lower lip. "I put clothes and stuff in there for us but it can fit a lot more. We're going to need to… uh… drag this out a bit longer than planned. I wanted to get there fast but I think it's better if we take our time."

"Why? Are you getting cold feet?"

"No, but it would be better to attack the night of the full moon. I'm at my peak during that time so I'll slaughter anyone who gets in the way. The Oozaru form is practically invincible and has an unquenchable thirst for carnage."

"Oozaru?" I echoed. "What the hell is that?"

Goku turned his head to look at me, clearly bored. "A reaction that happens in our tails. Thousands of years of evolution left us looking a lot like humans, but the Oozaru has never completely left. Anyway, it turns out we make pretty good weapons. Bulma and Dr. Briefs want to harness the power and turn us into something more; maybe even make more Saiyans."

Oliver leapt up on the bed with us and settled beside me. I absently petted him while Goku continued to stare at me, growing more unsettling by the minute. The way he inflected his final words didn't make me very comfortable. My tail twitched around my waist.

"It's crazy what the government does right under our noses," I said in an attempt to change the subject. "I wonder what they're planning? Maybe a mass takeover. Jeez, you keep throwing me into more and more drama. Why did you have to break into my apartment and try to kill me?"

"I've always had a kink for humans. We all made a bet I could bed one of them and Chi-Chi took the bait. I think she was in it for the crossbreeding thing they were trying. Then you have Vegeta and Bulma… god, that's a mess."

My face felt hot. "You really slept with her? Ew, that's disgusting!"

"What do you expect?" Goku asked irately. "I'm a man, not a machine. She was good but Nappa told all of us that humans can't take a pounding quite the same as our women." He puckered his lips, eyes raking down my body. A gruesome smile spread across his face. "Speaking of which…"

Blood was pounding in my ears. The fur on my tail was standing stiff, almost noticeable through my towel. I'd never felt my body react in such an intense way when sex was insinuated. Everything was suddenly, painfully alert, waiting for the next move Goku would make. I coughed into my fist and managed to turn around so I was no longer faced with his deep black eyes.

Neither of us spoke for a few minutes. I was practically trembling with desire but I could still remember how I almost let it slip that I had a bit of a crush on Goku. That would've been bad. He'd laugh and laugh and laugh and there was nothing I could do to stop him. Why had I even tried to sleep with him in the first place?! I was a glutton for punishment; that was the issue.

Suddenly, Goku was sitting behind me, both long legs wrapped around my hips. My palms were starting to sweat. His feet touched the floor, causing his knees to bend. My toes were nowhere near making contact. He was so _tall_. I felt like a midget beside him. Was that a Saiyan thing? Were they all bulky, tall, cocky and admittedly attractive? They were like annoying teenage football players.

He combed his fingers through my hair. "You didn't have much of an opinion on spending an extra month with me. We can sightsee and stay in all sorts of hotels and if you're a good girl, I'll give you a nice long fucking every night. Doesn't that sound great?"

It was a lot like having a giant sitting behind me. He could still kill me in an instant.

"No," I said, folding my arms.

"Come on, Harper. The tough girl act is getting old. What's some casual sex between friends, hm?"

I was happy he couldn't see my terrified facial expression. If I gave in, our relationship took on a new dimension yet again. I'd already stopped lying to myself and admitted I wanted something beyond the carnal but he definitely didn't. Sex would make me feel even worse about not being wanted. What if he imagined Chi-Chi the entire time or accidentally said her name or… did he even have condoms? I'd missed my birth control.

"It's not an act," I said. "I don't trust you as far as I can throw you. We don't have condoms and I haven't taken my… ah… my uh…"

Goku's lips were on the bite, sucking gently. His tail slipped around my stomach to hold me firmly against him and his fingers found their way to the sash holding my bathrobe together. My eyes rolled back in my head, a small growl resonating in my throat. It was such a bad idea.

"I don't know what a condom is but it sounds annoying," he said. He pulled the robe apart and ran his fingers up and down the front of my body.

_Do it, Harper. It won't be that bad. You were going to earlier._

The robe came off. His hands wandered between my legs, weakening my resolve. I squirmed and desperately tried to remind myself that it was just not a good idea to sleep with Goku.

_It feels so good. Do it. Put your emotions aside and act on instinct._

Goku ground his arousal into my back. He licked the bite, smirking against my skin when I moaned. It was getting hard to think. I wanted him; more than anything. But was I really willing to put myself in such a vulnerable place? We were traveling together so if anything happened…

_Relax and stop thinking. That's the human in you._

"I can't," I managed, digging my nails into his thighs. "This is already hard enough."

"But I've treated you so well. Don't I deserve something in return?"

In another moment I was on my back, glaring up into Goku's obsidian irises. He brushed my hair away from my face to kiss me hard and ferociously ground into me, no longer restraining himself. I knew I would've been overwhelmed as a human but it didn't feel nearly as frightening anymore. We both experienced the same cacophony of emotion when we were turned on. Neither of us had much to worry about. Why did I keep thinking so deeply about something that was so basic?

I pressed my fingertips into his spine, risking a quick kiss on his neck. Goku's entire body tensed from the contact and my name rumbled out of his chest, driving me to kiss him further. It was a dizzying high being the object of lust for someone like him. He wanted _me_. Granted, I wanted him, too, but there was something different about being with Goku. I knew he desired me for a deeper purpose than release. I was a bit above being another notch in his bedpost.

A condom suddenly didn't seem important. I could deal with a baby. Hell, we could have twenty of them. Kids meant I was getting sex and there was bound to be a ton of blood when I gave birth. We didn't have to keep them. They could go live on a farm or something. All I wanted to do was fuck and feel pain and excitement and tear people's arms off just to watch them crawl across the floor.

My humanity was suspended by a thin string. It was still attached to me by a single thread, precariously taut and fraying each time Goku mumbled my name in a passionate groan. One more instance could push me off the edge. I could become cold and cruel, constantly at the mercy of my bloodlust. The hormones swirling through my bloodstream were making it hard to think straight.

All I wanted to do was _fuck_.

Goku laughed breathlessly when I fumbled with his pants. "I knew you'd come to your senses."

"Shut up and get naked."

I'd never been particularly dominating or demanding in bed before. My words surprised me somewhere in my human side but that was sequestered away, silently screaming for me to stop. The other side of Harper was a woman who knew what she wanted and was not afraid to take it by force. She loved making out in pools of blood with a gruesome alien who only had a flimsy human appearance.

The Saiyan Harper was sort of stupid. She really needed to stop and think. It would've been great if she could cooperate with the human side to make the right decisions.

Then Goku pulled back, grinning. His hands were on either side of my head and his broad chest was heaving from the exertion of kissing me. He licked his lips, slowly grinding into me. I wanted to him to get it over with and bury himself inside me instead of dragging things along.

"Do it," I demanded, arching my spine to press against him.

His pupils contracted. "I have a better idea. Our bathroom is pretty big. Why don't we go grab a few humans and let them bleed out on the floor again?"

I jerked back from him like I'd been burned, eyes wide with shock. Memories of our encounter two nights ago came flooding back and I furiously shook my head. That had been a coincidence. I'd never give in and kill other people, even if the monster within me clawed my heart to pieces.

Goku suddenly rose from the bed. His reddened eyes stared at me through the creeping darkness, glowing with malevolence. "I take your silence as agreement. I'll go find a few humans… three, maybe four should do. We can cut out their tongues so they can't say a word and leave a mess for whatever maid had to come in and clean this room tomorrow. Let's do it. I'll show you how. We can—"

"Goku," I interrupted softly.

"What? I know you want to." He shifted on his feet impatiently. His whole body was trembling. "We can eat them after if you don't want to waste the bodies."

"I can't. Come back to bed."

He glared at me for several seconds, remorseless and on edge. One wrong move could cause him to snap like a coiled spring and ravage the small town we were sleeping in. I sat up and pulled my hair aside to expose the bite mark on my neck that immediately riveted Goku's attention. The redness was still seeping into the whites of his eyes. Would that always happen when he was excited?

The Saiyan growled. His tail was twitching. "If you refuse to learn how to be a predator, you're better off dead."

It hurt in more ways than one when we vanished out the window. I gazed at the billowing curtains, listening to the chorus of crickets outside. There was a fine layer of sweat beaded on my chest.

The bite mark burned.


	16. Case File 016 - Oneida Stirpiculture

**A/N:** Hiiiii it's three AM and here ya go. :P Sort of short but whatevs.

EDIT: I like when I'm sleeping and just decides to throw every single guest review into my email at once so I wake up to my phone tweeting madly at me. I'm not complaining by any means about you guys, but this site does that for some reason. They all get compiled and BAM, I feel important. It's cool when I'm at work and people are like "woah look at her with all her emails" and I'm like "oh it's just some really fucked up fanfiction." Hahahaha love you guys :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 016 -_ Oneida Stirpiculture_

* * *

Unfortunately, I was left to travel on my own for the next week.

It was hard at first. I woke up after my encounter with Goku expecting him to be sitting near the window licking blood off his fingers but there was nothing there besides a small bird. I waited a few hours for him to return but eventually had to check out of the hotel and continue on my way. Oliver was not happy being left behind but I knew it was what was best for him. The owner of the hotel smiled and promised she would return him to me when I came back.

Even with a sprawling map I had no sense of direction. I made my way back into the forests to stay away from prying eyes and called Goku's name when I was out in the wilderness. If I had anything to return to back home, would've gladly turned around and caught the first bus or train back to Vermont. Instead, I was wandering aimlessly through the wilderness, hoping I was headed in the right direction.

The days were hot and sunny, silence only broken by the sound of the wind in the trees. The nights were cold and miserable, even if I stumbled across a hotel to sleep in. I'd take a shower, open the window, and wait for a few hours to see if Goku would come back. He never did.

The further I traveled, the more I came to terms with my unwilling feelings for the Saiyan. It was hard to believe I had fallen so fast over a man but stranger things had happened. I wished I could talk to Mia and the others about it to make myself feel better. My phone was not an option—calls could easily be traced and I had a feeling my sister wouldn't appreciate my new life. Realizing such strong emotions on my own frequently left my crying in bed while a movie played quietly in the background.

On the dawn of my second week alone, I realized I had only made it to the capital of Ohio; Columbus. I made much slower progress on my own than I did with Goku. Frustrated, I flopped down in the bed of my small hotel room and turned on the TV to watch the news. He'd said he wanted to slow down to wait for the full moon but this was ridiculous. I wouldn't be anywhere near Kansas by that time.

I began to drift off to sleep. The wind blowing in the window was cool, making my bed even more comfortable. The newscaster prattled on about local happenings and my eyes slowly shut…

"What have I done?"

My heart practically leapt out of my chest. I sat up quickly to see Goku perched on the windowsill, staring at the floor with a blank expression. He sank inside to sit on the floor and pulled the window shut, hiding his face in his hands. He was wearing new clothes and wads of money were sticking out of his breast pocket. I hadn't noticed him take anything from the stash Raditz gave us.

It took a few moments for his words to sink in due to my excitement of seeing him again. He was alive. No open wounds, nothing stuck in his thick black hair, and no redness in his eyes. I smiled and patted the spot beside myself, hoping he would come sit with me and talk. It had been a lonely week alone.

Goku looked up at me, wide-eyed. "Harper. I have a son."

My smile faded. I felt my pounding heart start to rise into my throat, making it hard to breathe. Was he lying? Was he trying to make me jealous or—

"When I was out the other night, I ran into Chi," Goku said hollowly. "She has pictures of him. I took one from her. She said I deserved to know. He was conceived a long time ago, when I was eighteen. That makes him five years old now." He ran a hand through his hair, slowly shaking his head. "None of them told me we had a son together. I assumed she would have told me. I thought it was impossible for us to crossbreed with humans so I never imagined…"

"You have a five year old half-Saiyan _kid_ with the woman who's trying to hunt both of us down? Jesus Christ, Goku! Why did you go looking for her? You're lucky she didn't catch you or I never would've known and all of this would've been for nothing. I've been traveling alone waiting for you to come back while you were out crying because you knocked Chi-Chi up!"

Goku was shuddering tremendously. Funny how he could make a game of murdering people and turn it into a paraphilia but the thought of being an absent father weighed heavily on his mind. It wasn't exactly the happy reunion I had been playing over and over in my mind the past few nights.

"It isn't about Chi," he said, "it's about what they've been doing to my son for the past five years. He's a hybrid and I'm sure they've done nothing but perform experiments. I knew she gave in way too easily all those times we slept together and it turns out I was right. We were both breeders, probably being watched by cameras the entire time. God, what have I done?"

My tail was stiff with rage. "You're a goddamn moron. You were casual about being a breeder before. Why are you suddenly so emotional about it?"

"I didn't think we could really crossbreed. It was supposed to be a fruitless endeavor that would never result in anything viable, especially something that would live for five years. We have to hurry to the facility. I don't want them doing anything else to Gohan."

"Gohan?" I scoffed. "What a dopey name."

"Chi-Chi gave me my human name," Goku said, pulling a picture out of his breast pocket. He gazed at it for several seconds and rubbed his eyes. "Guess she wanted to keep up the tradition. He looks a lot like me, and he has the same damn tail, but she dresses him terribly. His clothes don't even match."

"Says the guy running around in a bright orange training uniform. Come here and show me."

Goku looked up at me unwillingly, tearing his eyes away from the picture. He looked exhausted. "What? I thought you were mad at me. Make up your damn mind."

It was true—my heart really did hurt—but I rolled my eyes and climbed out of bed anyway. Goku watched with rapt attention as I sauntered across the room, sliding down beside him to pluck the picture from his fingertips. He hesitantly stretched an arm around my shoulders while I examined the photo of his illegitimate half-human child.

There was no question about who the kid belonged to. He had Goku's crazy thick black hair and dark eyes but his complexion was pinkish like his mother's. It was a recent picture judging by how big Gohan was. He was grinning, holding hands with two different people. The first was a normal pale human hand but the other was green with long claws and pink muscles bulging from the skin.

Goku immediately noticed my confusion. He idly pulled me closer to his ribs. "That's probably Piccolo. He's an alien, too, but from a different planet called Namek. He came here of his own free will a long time ago and just never left. Chi said he's been watching over Gohan when she's away."

I groaned. "Really? How many different kinds of aliens are there?"

"Tons of course. Humans didn't know about any for a long time. Entire races are wiped out in the blink of an eye on a routine basis. My people are gone, a lot of Piccolo's are… who knows, maybe Earth and humanity are next on the list."

"Comforting. Well, I guess he's cute enough to rescue." The thought of seeing Goku's kid cut me deep. I didn't want to believe it. I smiled plainly and handed the photo back to him, grinding my teeth when he carefully placed it back in his pocket.

He kissed the side of my head roughly, fingers curling around my bicep. "Don't worry, he isn't your infant. You don't have to like him. Normally our offspring are deported in space capsules so we don't have to worry about raising them. Saiyan babies are nearly autonomous a few months after birth. But considering that isn't an option and his mother is batshit insane, he's my problem."

"Look at you, taking responsibility for your bastard son," I muttered. "It's so sweet I could vomit."

"I can't leave a potential weapon in the wrong hands. Gohan may be dangerous; there's no telling what kind of powers a half breed has in comparison to one of us. He might have no control over himself."

"That wouldn't be much different from how _you _act. You got so turned on it drove you crazy and you jumped out the window to kill people." I folded my arms, leaning into his side.

"That isn't typical behavior," Goku said. "At least, not in my experience. I've done it a lot of times; like _a lot_, and I've never been so… overwhelmed. I dunno, it was a unique encounter I suppose. Maybe it has something to do with the bite I gave you. Nappa never went into detail."

We talked for a while longer about our brief time apart. Goku was upset that Oliver was gone and insisted that we turn around to get him but I didn't want to leave the poor cat cooped up in the capsule. I assured him we'd pick him up when everything was said and done rather than risking his life.

Goku's encounter with Chi-Chi hadn't been completely civil. They immediately got into a fight, resulting in the deaths of both of her bodyguards and a few broken bones on her part as well. She was strong but still nothing compared to the strength of a Saiyan. She only revealed Gohan when Goku was about to snap her neck, and even then she fainted before she could reveal much information.

It was surreal thinking of Goku being a father. He hardly looked to be 23, let alone capable of raising a half-alien child on his own. I selfishly wondered what that meant for us—would he immediately leave upon saving his comrades or would the three of us form a strange family together? Would Chi-Chi be involved? I'd always strayed away from dating single men with children after a few bad encounters with their wrathful mothers. Besides, I didn't want to come between a mother and her offspring.

Worse, I realized now was not the time to tell him how I really felt. There was too much going on and I couldn't risk an awkward rejection. I sat quietly beside him after a while, lost in my own thoughts while he continued talking about his plans to free the other men. The curtains rustled around us, prompting Goku to grumble in annoyance and turn to close them.

I rubbed my arms and rose from the floor, quickly crawling into bed. It had been a long night. "Hopefully you've learned your lesson about sticking your dick in women willy-nilly. There are always consequences to being a slut, Goku."

He pulled the curtains across the window and paused for a moment. The dim light from the TV illuminated his face when he turned to face me, smiling eerily. "Oh, Harper, that reminds me. Guess what I found just a few nights ago?"

"I'm dying to know," I yawned, snuggling into the sheets.

Goku was sitting beside me in bed a heartbeat later. He pushed me down flat on my back, still grinning malevolently, and yanked off his t-shirt. It was easy to admire him in the darkness with my strengthened vision but my eyes were drawn across his sculpted chest to a familiar mark on his neck…

It was in the exact same place as mine, a small semicircular bite with black veins extending down Goku's rippled chest to center around his heart. I stared in shock. My mark pulsated.

The Saiyan idly scratched the horrible disfigurement and I felt my clavicle tingle slightly. "Guess this means you're all mine."


	17. Case File 017 - Cathexis

**A/N:** This was such a pain in the ASS. Fricken Microsoft Word just did not want to cooperate so I had to keep exiting and coming back and I was like "WHAT THE FUCK, IS THIS MY PUNISHMENT FOR WRITING DEMENTED FANFICTION?!" Blargh. Thank you for all the awesome reviews, guys! :D

**Warnings:** Lemon, big time.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 017 - _Cathexis_

* * *

"That's impossible," I whispered. "I never bit you! What the hell did you do to make that appear? Did Chi-Chi bite you or something?"

Goku leaned back on his palms casually to give me room to sit up. I stared at the network of veins crisscrossing his chest until he rolled his eyes and grabbed my wrist to drag me between his legs. He pressed my palm against the side of his neck where the mark had taken root, black and rough like dying tissue. His skin was especially hot along the trail of pulsating veins but I was becoming accustomed to his heat. My own body temperature had skyrocketed upon my transformation.

"Neat, right?" he asked. "It showed up a few nights ago out of nowhere. At first I thought a cat bit me while I was asleep but I didn't get a good look at it until after everything with Chi. Guess we didn't even have to seal the deal. It doesn't hurt as much as you claimed, though—you're a drama queen."

I jerked back from him angrily. "I was still a human when you bit me! Of course it fucking hurt! I don't know what you did but I want out, right now. Tell me how to get this disgusting thing off before it poisons me or I turn into a crazy serial killer."

He grinned, scratching his chin idly. I hated how he was always so relaxed. Nothing seemed to faze him, beyond being captured or having a son. He casually reached up to rub his neck and I felt the strange tingling in my clavicle again that skittered downward to make my heart beat faster. My grip of the bed sheets tightened. I would not let him win. I'd be a tree swaying in the hurricane instead of buckling and cracking at the trunk like I always did.

_Quit it with the pep talks. You're both stubborn and demanding so you'll constantly be butting heads over the stupidest things. Might as well suck it up and accept the fact that you're the submissive one in this relationship. Lying to yourself isn't doing you any good._

Black eyes appraised me through the darkness. Sometimes his hair made him look like a lion and I felt like nothing more than a hapless antelope with a broken leg. Sure, I was a Saiyan; he insisted I was nearly as strong as he was at this point. But that didn't change how small I felt sitting across from him. Regardless of my alien strength Goku was huge—almost twice my size and fifty times more ruthless.

"You're _mine _now," he murmured. "You should be happy. Aren't you attracted to me?"

"What?! N-no!" I folded my arms and sank into the sheets up to my neck, praying he couldn't see my terrified face. "Go away, I don't even know why you came back."

There was silence for a few minutes. My heart began to slow down and I closed my eyes to calm myself, once again trying to push my unwelcome feelings away. A cuddling session with Oliver was definitely in order. Maybe I would go back to pick him up. Things felt… different without him around.

The bed shifted. "I'm not going anywhere. You belong to me, mate."

I opened my eyes to snap back at him just to recoil further into my pillows, startled by how close his face was to mine. He was straddling my hips and had both of his hands planted on either side of my head. His black eyes flickered across my face a few times and he leaned even closer until I couldn't push back anymore. I twisted my neck, squeezing my eyes shut. No, no, no, I needed to be strong.

"Get off me!" I demanded.

"Ah, ah, ah, you need to be quiet and stop arguing with me." He sank between my legs and seized the opportunity to kiss my exposed neck, drawing frustrated growls from my throat.

"I'm not kidding, Goku! Get this thing off my neck and—"

The bed creaked as Goku suddenly drew back, pulling me up with him by the hair. He yanked my shirt off and threw it to the floor then unhooked my bra and performed the same action. Heat burned in my ears and I quickly tried to cover my chest with my arms.

He tugged on my hair, causing me to hiss and arch against him. His arm wound behind my back to hold me there and he ravaged my neck again, no doubt leaving love bites that would shock passerby. Goku's chest was hard, smooth and hot; I'd be dreaming of touching him again ever since he left. The bulging veins throbbed as he shoved me back down on the mattress and untied the sash around his waist. He was kneeling between my legs, smirking down at me with the cocky look I'd grown attracted to.

I nervously coughed into my fist and crossed my arms over my breasts, strangely meek. "I'll hit you if you don't do what I say."

"Mmm, I could say the same to you, mate. You're being very disobedient." He wrapped the sash partially around his wrist and licked his lips.

"What the hell are you planning?"

"Me?" he asked. "Oh, nothing. I just don't want the humans to hear you yelling. They might come running and see something they don't want to. If I'm interrupted during the heat of the moment I could accidentally snap a few necks and spill a _lot _of blood. It's better that you're absolutely silent."

"If you hurt any of these innocent people I will never speak to you again," I said.

Goku unraveled the sash from his wrist and grinned. "I'll take that as an invitation."

Suddenly he forced the blue fabric between my teeth until it shoved my tongue back, rendering me incapable of talking. I shrieked furiously again the gag but it was drowned out into the sash. He tied it tightly behind my head and laughed as I thrashed beneath him, tugging on the gag desperately. It was so damn tight I worried it'd rub through my skin and turn me into a creepy clown.

"Shh," he whispered, placing his index finger to my lips, "relax, Harper. I know you're upset you can't kiss me but it's perfectly fine. My mouth will be busy elsewhere. Frankly, I don't trust your teeth near such a fragile, important part of my body so you'll just have to wait a while to do the same to me. Now calm down and quit squirming before I tie you down to the bed."

I slapped Goku hard across the face; so hard it made his head snap to the side. Bones cracked in his neck from the sheer force of impact. He remained in that position for a few moments, tongue roaming the inside of his cheek to check for blood while I waited for a response. My chest was heaving with a mixture of fear and excitement. What had I done? Did I really just hit him? He was gonna go ballistic and kill me to get revenge.

Then he laughed quietly, shaking his head. "Y'know, if you're in love with me, you might want to stop being such a damn bitch."

In the next second Goku was on me, focusing on pulling the bite mark between his teeth and roughly pulling on my hair. I sank my nails into his back to pull him closer despite myself. My thoughts were becoming cloudy and distorted again, no longer rational enough to keep me from making stupid decisions. He eagerly ground into me and groaned my name as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

Whatever. What did it matter? The jig was up and I had nothing left to lose.

We moved against one another, push and pull like the moon and the tides. Sticky heat built up between us and Goku's chest became slick with sweat, forcing him to pull back and throw the sheets off us. The veins were beginning to vanish back into his skin. I ran my fingers down his abdomen, still mystified by the perfect shape and curvature of his muscles. His skin twitched in response to my touch and he leaned back on his heels to unbutton my pants.

There was a pink tinge to his tan skin that made him look even less human but his eyes were still perfectly normal. He impatiently tugged off my pants and hooked his fingers over my panties to pull them as well, leaving me embarrassingly exposed. He gently ran his fingertip down my slit and I bit down hard on the sash to keep myself from making any weird noises. It was such a light touch but it felt so goddamn good. Not exactly what I was expecting.

Goku unwillingly turned to look over the end of the bed and ran a hand through his hair. "Hmph, what a pain. I'm too damn tall for this thing. Guess I'll have to do it another way."

He slipped out of bed to kneel on the floor beside me. I was confused until he grabbed one of my ankles to turn me to face him, still flat on my back with both of my legs dangling off the edge of the bed. He balanced my thighs on his broad shoulders and grinned at me from across my stomach. I realized a bit too late that I was staring at him in terror. Was he really going to—

"First time?" he purred, wetting his lips. "How tantalizing. I promise I'll be gentle. But first…"

My spine shivered as Goku slowly slipped a finger inside me. It stung slightly due to me not having sex in a long time but the pain quickly dissipated and I fisted the sheets while he rhythmically pumped his finger. He soon pulled the digit out and stuck it in his mouth to suck off the clear liquid.

His eyes rolled back in his head and he smacked his lips. "Mmm, you taste good. So clean and light, almost like a virgin. But I suppose with how tiny you are it'll be a lot like fucking one regardless."

The Saiyan softly kissed the insides of my thighs, gradually working his way down to the heat between my legs. I squirmed uncomfortably. He gripped my thighs to push me closer to his mouth and I screwed my eyes shut, anticipating pain or some other unpleasant feeling.

But my eyelids loosened when Goku's tongue stroked down my slit, leaving behind a trail of sticky saliva that was surprisingly arousing. I was soon reduced to a puddle of jellied limbs that were atrophied under the intense pleasure between my legs. None of my one night stands ever involved _this._

Warmth flushed through my pelvis. My hands twisted the sheets in agony as Goku repeatedly brought me to the edge of ecstasy just to drop me back down again. I had no idea if what he was doing was right but god, it felt better than anything I'd ever felt before. Before I knew what I was doing my fingers were tangled in his hair to force him closer, drawing a groan from his chest.

It was quiet in the room without my moans able to permeate the sash. All that could be heard was the sound of shifting bodies and the occasional smacking of Goku's lips when he took a brief break. I wasn't sure how long he was between my legs for—my thoughts were hazy with lust.

Eventually, Goku rose to his feet, wiping his mouth with his palm to lick it off. I was relieved that he still looked perfectly normal and rational instead of turning crazy like he had the other night. He cocked his head, smirking down at me with his hands on his hips. I realized I was squirming around a bit too much and I was sure the look I was giving him wasn't exactly innocent. The sheets popped off the edges of the bed as I squeezed them in my fists, biting hard on the gag.

His fingers hooked on the edge of his pants and he puckered his lips, brow furrowed in thought. "I'm so torn right now. I like having that in your mouth but there's something else I'd much rather put there instead. Plus, I enjoy hearing a woman scream my name. Hmm." He stroked his chin, still glistening with saliva. "What do you think, mate?"

I shrugged. My body was trembling with mild fear and excitement—I wanted him to stop teasing me and bury himself as deep inside me as he could go. Waiting was such a pain. I'd been waiting since the day I met him and I didn't want to anymore. I angled my hips toward him and tried to look pleading. Goku grinned and pulled off his pants without a second's hesitation.

It wasn't like I expected him to be small but I still winced a bit at how big he was. Sex wouldn't be impossible, just a bit more difficult than it was with most men. Plus, I was a Saiyan as well, so my body would be better suited to tolerate his… um… equipment.

Goku stood beside the bed and beckoned me with his index finger. I blinked a few times, beginning to realize what he was expecting. It was only fair but I still didn't really want to do it. He'd end up choking me to death if he wasn't careful. I awkwardly sat up and crept toward him to sit in front of him with my legs dangling off the edge of the bed. He threaded his finger in my hair toward the back of my head, smiling down at me in a way I didn't quite like.

"If you use your teeth, I'll crush your skull," he said as he untied the gag from my mouth. "But don't be too good at it. I don't want to come in your mouth today."

"Wait!" I squealed. "I've never done this! I didn't want a guy's mouth near my vagina so why would I want mine to be near his dick?! I seriously have no idea—"

Suddenly, my mouth was otherwise occupied. I immediately curled my lips over my teeth to keep Goku from snapping my neck. My heart was pounding in my ears so loudly that I could barely hear him growling as he slowly pumped in and out of my mouth. Both of his hands cradled my head to push me closer and faster against him, causing enough friction to bring tears to my eyes. I wasn't upset or crying but having my mouth stretched so far didn't agree with my tear ducts.

My fingernails dug deeper into his thighs with each thrust. Soon enough the desire came burning back and I started doing things without thinking too much. My lips sucked carefully until I learned his limit, making him pull hard on my hair and gasp. I curiously stroked his length with my tongue while he rhythmically moved against my mouth, obviously restraining himself immensely. He couldn't push himself entirely in the orifice so I made up for it by rubbing him in sync with my sucking.

Something warm and salty began intermingling with my saliva and the speed of Goku's movements increased dramatically. I pulled back to give my lips a break, opting to swirl my tongue around his tip and bat my eyelashes up at him. He shook his head and his eyes rolled back.

The room once again settled into a thick silence. The sound of my slick lips sliding up and down Goku's member was the only relief, occasionally broken by his guttural groans. He stared down at me for the most part, biting his lower lip and squeezing whatever part of my body was readily available. I looked up at him as he swelled up inside my mouth to see that the veins were completely gone from his chest.

He pushed my hair back from my face and pulled himself just outside my mouth, gently rubbing the tip against my lips. His free hand began stroking his engorged length. "There's a million things I'd like to do to you right now but I need to feel you first. Lie back and open your legs."

"You think you can tell me what do to now?" I asked playfully, scooting back to lie lengthwise on the bed. I was more than happy to oblige to his orders.

Goku crawled on top of me, black eyes boiling with desire. He smirked crookedly. "During lovemaking, you're all mine."

I laughed. "Lovemaking? Since when was it no longer fucking?"

But my question was never answered. A strange look passed across Goku's face and he bent down to kiss my bite mark, rendering me a pile of jelly once again. I raked my nails down his back as he slowly pushed his stiffness through my soft, wet flesh, encouraging the low hum in my throat to become a satisfied growl. He panted into my neck and was soon pumping sporadically in and out of me, no longer able to control himself.

Did I say his mouth felt great? Well there was literally no better feeling than Goku filling me up inside from wall to wall, leaving nothing but scant traces of flesh between us. It was such a tight fit that there was no end to him and no beginning to me—we were one, fused together in the most intimate of places. I arched my hips to meet his hard thrusting and wrapped my legs around his waist to roll with the impacts. Resisting or trying to move back too much would probably give me bruises in bad places.

Oh _shit._

"Um," I managed, clutching desperately at his thick black hair, "um, Goku, we need to talk."

He gave a particularly hard pump and grunted. "No talking. Fucking."

"I know we're…" I paused to take a few breaths as his big hands roamed to my chest, toying with my breasts roughly. "I know we're both a bit busy but ah… ugh… ah, you need to pull out before you finish. I don't want to risk getting pregnant… or… something stupid… like that…"

"Stop talking or I swear to god I'll rip out your tongue."

I scowled but it quickly dissipated into an expression of bliss. Eh, whatever. One time without a condom wouldn't kill either of us. Besides, Goku wouldn't fit into any normal ones. We'd have to have them custom made or something. How weird would that be? "Oh, sorry, my alien beau needs size XXXL condoms. What do you mean you don't make them? Where's your manager?!"

My mouth was abruptly drawn to the bite on Goku's neck. I pulled the skin between my teeth and bit down hard, making him curse under his breath and thrust into me even harder. Blood dripped down from his shoulder and pooled on me but I didn't care. I lapped it up and moaned when he did the same to me, biting down on the same place he had sunk his teeth in not long ago.

Ecstasy rippled through me. I could feel him: every solid, pulsating inch. His heart was thundering in his chest, forcing blood through his body to swell his arousal up even further. He ground out my name huskily, which was enough to push me over the edge. I shrieked into his shoulder as pleasure jolted through me and my fingers stabbed into the stiff flesh on his back. The terrible tension between my legs was mercifully put out in a series of heavenly contractions that only gripped him tighter, pulling him toward the same sweet oblivion.

My thoughts were basking in a beautiful afterglow when Goku said three words I would never, ever forget. I smiled at him, giggling a bit at his intense stare. The bed creaked from the force of his thrusts, and my body was shoved backwards each time we met. I closed my eyes and sighed happily. His mouth dropped down next to my ear as he swelled to an outrageous size.

"I… I l-love you," he whispered.

My eyes popped open and locked with his earnest obsidian pools, iridescent with passion. I stared at him blankly as the words seeped into my precious nirvana.

Wait.

_What_?!

Goku's eyes rolled back and he gave a forceful pump that marked the plateau of his excitement. He throbbed within me and spilled his seed deep, drawing a hiss from my lips when he pushed a little too far back. He grunted while his orgasm tapered to a slow end and thrust against me one more time. My head was spinning. Did I hear him right? Was I insane?

Then my lover collapsed on top of me. We were both heaving for air, well beyond the stage of exhausted panting. I felt like I was about to pass out. There was a sheen of sweat across Goku's back that reflected the moonlight outside. His heart was racing. He was still inside me.

Neither of us said a word for a long time. I knew I needed to go to the bathroom but I was in a bit of shock from his confession. It had been in the heat of the moment. He probably didn't mean it. Men who slept around usually used love as a convenient excuse to trick women.

Goku cleared his throat and gently withdrew from me. He sat up at the food of the bed, rubbing the back of his head and staring at me like a deer caught in headlights. I'd never seen a man look so afraid. His expression made my heart drop through my gut and split open on the floor. It was slightly familiar. They all had the same horrified look when they said something they didn't mean.

"It's okay," I lied. "No harm done. I'm just gonna go take a shower."

Blood trickled down his broad chest from the bite mark. He swallowed so hard I saw his Adam's apple bob. "Uh… yeah. Shower. I'll be here."

I forced a smile and got out of bed, snatching up articles of clothing along the way. Goku's eyes were on me the entire time up until I shut the bathroom door and twisted the lock. I turned and faced the mirror. My skin was ashen. Tears were welling up in my eyes. My neck was bleeding from the same spot as Goku's but it didn't hurt.

_You're a goddamn moron, Harper Williams._


	18. Case File 018 - Übermensch

**A/N:** Nothing sexy going on here but now we're back to the bothersome plot. :P I'm not sure how long this is gonna be... I'm guessing another ten chapters? Anyway, that brings me to my next order of business: **the next story! **Yes, I'm already in planning for what my next fic will be. I think it will appeal to a lot of the readers here so I figured I should ask your opinions!

First off, it has already been decided it will be a loose adaptation of "Lolita," a classic 'erotic' novel that has been adapted into several plays, musicals, and movies. I'm sure a few of you are familiar with it but if not, I highly recommend the 1997 movie version. Simply fantastic. I'm going to do Goku/Bulla, with Goku taking the part of Humbert and Bulla taking the part of Dolores, a.k.a. Lolita. She is twelve in the book but I'm going to make Bulla fourteen. Note that there will be no explicit sexual scenes. I'm sorry but I can't do it.

I'm not sure whose POV it should be in. What do you think? Bulla or Goku? Either one would be fun to write but Bulla is going to fourteen so her train of thought would be much different. I guess it comes down to whether you'd have the same eerie feeling you did in "A Walking Shadow" or a darker, albeit more focused narration. That said, I still have some things to figure out in regard to side characters but that's definitely a sticking point for me.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 018 - _Übermensch_

* * *

Our travels continued in utter, abysmal silence for the next two weeks.

I'd never imagined Goku tight-lipped and awkward but he was surprisingly quiet, opting to fly ahead of me most of the day. I was completely miserable being left with my own thoughts and frequently tripped over logs and branches that I could normally avoid. My mind was driving my insane with all sorts of excuses and reasoning that would never come to fruition.

The days grew warmer as we headed out west toward Indiana, which marked the halfway point of our excursion. It would only take a few more weeks to finally reach the compound and Goku would probably leave my forever. I had made the mistake of emotionally attaching myself to him. What was I thinking? We barely knew one another and from what I did know, he wasn't the settling down type.

It hurt tremendously that he avoided my eyes whenever we were around one another. Goku was showing guilt, which was a surprise, but it was inspired by something truly terrible. He'd slipped up. In the heat of the moment, he said intimate words he didn't mean. They weren't meant for my ears; probably Chi-Chi or one of the other women from his facility. I meant nothing to him.

Soon we passed through Indianopolis and arrived at Jefferson City, Missouri at the dawn of our third week traveling. We hung around the edges of trees as we always did on our way into the busy city. I followed silently along behind Goku as he beckoned me to avoid bystanders until we finally found a small hotel in a quieter part of town. As we headed inside, a flier caught my attention. I paused to rip it off the wall and felt my blood turn to ice.

There were two photographs. One was of Goku grinning viciously and winking, clearly trying to intimidate the photographer. The picture itself was slightly blurry due to said photographer shaking. The second picture was one of me scowling deeply and looking away at something else. It had been taken without my consent, and from what I could tell, it was a park back in Bennington.

I cleared my throat, feeling as if I hadn't spoken in years. "Um… Goku. Look at this."

The Saiyan turned slightly and snatched the flier from my hands to scan it with his black eyes. He stared at it for a few moments then crumpled it up and threw it over his shoulder.

"We'll have to camp out from now on," he said. "We're closing in so they're going to start warning people to keep an eye out for us. I bet Chi is right on our tail, too."

"You have no idea."

We both turned and I was immediately met by the cold barrel of a gun.

Chi-Chi was standing between two more beefy bodyguards, smiling frigidly at Goku and I. The one holding the gun grabbed the back of my head and spun me around to hold me by the throat. Goku's lip curled and he took a step forward until the gun clicked. He rocked back on his heels, tail twitching angrily. His eyes shifted between all three people but avoided me.

Chi tossed her thick black hair over her shoulder and poked Goku's chest. "I told you we would catch both of you. And look, you even led us to another perfect little pureblood for our experiments. This is fantastic. We can breed all the Saiyans we need to build our army."

She grasped my tail and pulled until it was forced to unwind from my waist then proceeded to squeeze. I howled in pain, attracting the attention of some people walking on the street. Goku twisted his neck and clenched his hands into fists. He was trying to rein in his temper.

"I already told you she isn't pureblooded," Goku said coldly. "Get your hands off her before I tear them off."

"Oh, and what is _this_?" Chi-Chi asked, yanking the collar of my shirt aside. "A bit of a love mark? You always did like to mark your territory, Goku. Or maybe… maybe it's something more? We heard Nappa going on about mating or something silly like that. A permanent bond? Soulmates?"

"It's superficial. There's no emotional connection."

"Why do I get the distinct feeling that you're lying to me?" She released me and walked forward to grasp the edge of Goku's gi, revealing his own mark that had become a scar like mine. "Disgusting. You bite one another like animals laying claim to property. Oh well. I'm happy I could serve Bulma and Dr. Briefs with our own little half-breed. You deserved to know that your impulsiveness sired a perfect test subject for our experiments."

Goku suddenly seized her wrist and leaned close, eyes burning with hatred. "I'm going to kill you last. It will be nice and slow. I'll bleed you out until you're close to death and eat you while you're still alive. You promised you would never use our offspring for anything in the name of science."

"I lied," she said offhandedly. "Although, you were an awfully good lay. I'm a bit jealous." Chi pressed closer to him. My blood boiled. "I guess love makes you do crazy things."

In an instant Goku's hands were around her skinny neck. One of the bodyguards stepped forward and I broke free from my captor's grasp, whirling around to punch him hard in the nose. I seized the gun, twisting the barrel easily until it was warped beyond use. The other bodyguard tried to pull out his own gun but I hit him hard in the neck, making his eyes roll back in his head. Both of them crumpled to the ground and Goku threw Chi down as well.

"I will kill you if you keep following me," he said.

She propped herself up, grinning. "Would you really kill the mother of your child? I find that to be beneath you, darling."

"Nothing is beneath me. It is the means to an end." He bent down and reached in her pockets to remove a cell phone, which he promptly crushed, along with an ID badge. "I think Gohan will be much happier with me. Thank you for incubating him for nine months. You've served your purpose."

"And you've served yours, _breeder_."

Anger coursed through me and I angrily kicked Chi-Chi in the ribs, making her laugh and collapse on the ground, clutching her side. Goku pulled me into his arms and took off into the air without waiting another moment, attracting the gasps of the townsfolk. We flew over Jefferson City much faster than we would have walking and were soon back on the outskirts of town near a wooded area.

We landed in a small clearing. I shoved myself free of his grasp as loud alarms began to go off around us. The air was thick with fear and sirens. Clearly they were closer than we imagined.

"Humans are strong but they're still only human," Goku said, pacing back and forth. He ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the waxing moon. "Even without the full moon we can tear through hordes of them. Goddammit, if we had only been able to put them off for another week we would've had a better chance…"

"We should run away," I insisted. "We still have time and I know you can fly fast enough. We'll hide out somewhere in the next town over until sun up."

"No. We need to stand and fight. I don't want to run from these bastards anymore."

"You can stand here and get beaten to death if you want but I'm running away. There's no way in hell I'm fighting the United States government. They have insane technology you don't even understand."

Goku whirled around and poked me hard in the chest. "_We_ are their greatest weapons, Harper. Us. You and me, not some gun that never misses or tank that can't be infiltrated. Aliens from another planet that transform in beasts when the full moon comes around are the greatest threat the U.S. military has in their possession. We're impenetrable, fast, powerful, and we completely lack a conscience."

"Well if you're so fucking superior why do you let humans control you?" I asked.

"There's only me, Vegeta, Tarble, Raditz, Nappa, and you. The rest of our race was destroyed years ago. There are thousands of humans watching over us every minute of every day, so breaking free or fighting back isn't exactly an option. We can't destroy an entire army without sustaining serious injuries from bullets, even if they can't totally pierce through our skin."

"Then why the hell are we standing here waiting for them to come kick our asses?!"

"I'm sick of hiding in the shadows like a criminal. I'm going to kill as many humans as I can to inspire my brothers to break free from their prison." Goku cracked his neck and glared down at me. "If you run, I'll be forced to kill you. I refuse to be mated to a coward."

"This isn't cowardice!" I shrieked, pointing to helicopters circling the town. "They're going to kill us, Goku! You need to pull yourself together and come with me."

"Is that your choice, then?" he asked. "You'll run with your tail tucked between your legs instead of standing with me to fight?"

The sirens were growing louder and more frequent, blaring over the whir of helicopter wings. I slapped Goku's hands away and shoved his chest in a burst of rage. We were about to die and all he cared about was going down in a hail of bullets. I wasn't going to throw my life away.

"No, fuck you!" I shouted. "You said you loved me and you've been totally ignoring me for almost three weeks, then you expect me to willingly give up my life for you?! Are you completely insane or just that fucking arrogant? You can stay here and get shot to death for all I care. I'll go find your stupid friends and your stupid kid and tell them you stupidly died in some stupid hick town."

We glared icily at one another for a few more seconds until my words seemed to sink into Goku's head. He pressed his lips in a firm line and looked away from me to the ground. I took it as the ultimate rejection I had been waiting for and turned to walk away with tears in my eyes. Suddenly, a hand shot out and seized my wrist to spin me around, facing me with the Saiyan's intense expression.

Goku grabbed my shoulders and shook me, raising his voice to be heard over the din. "What the hell did you expect me to do?! I'm not used to feeling anything, let alone love. It's all sex and death for Saiyans. Affection and intimacy don't really enter the picture and when they do, it's usually taken away. I don't want to lose you like I've lost everything else!"

The strange look in his eyes was back again, albeit in a more subdued manner. He stared at me pleadingly as the wind whipped his hair around his black eyes. There was more he was thinking and even more he was feeling but he couldn't tell me. Not yet, anyway. My mark pulsated.

I rolled my eyes. "Why didn't you tell me this two weeks ago?! And if you don't want to lose me, what the hell are we doing standing here?!"

"I don't exactly like talking about my feelings!" he snapped. His cheeks were turning red.

A spotlight suddenly turned on us, setting the clearing alight from tree to tree like it was the middle of the day. A voice blared over a loudspeaker but Goku scooped me up bridal style and took off into the air, narrowly avoiding a bad encounter with the blades of the helicopter. I heard bullets flying at us but only felt tiny pinches on my skin that vanished within seconds.

The cool air blew through my hair and I closed my eyes. The helicopters were following us but Goku was much faster, easily able to outmaneuver them in the darkness. The city was on high alert by now and the screams of people could be heard even after we'd been flying for several minutes. Goku glanced over his shoulder and scowled down at me, nestled comfortably in his arms.

"You're a pain right in the ass," he said. "I hope you're comfortable."

"I love you, too."

"…Whatever."


	19. Case File 019 - Actus Reus

**A/N:** Yep, this is short. Yep, it took me a month to write it.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 019 - _Actus Reus_

* * *

The moon was beginning to expand and glow brighter, suggesting that Goku would get his wish and become a bloodthirsty beast the night we rescued his comrades. I could feel a vague sense of excitement when I looked up at it and tried to avoid doing so by hiding my face in Goku's chest at night while the fire slowly burned itself out. It worried me that an object 200,000 miles away had so much control over my behavior. Would I even remember who I was when the time came?

The nights in Kansas were pleasantly cool. It offered an excuse for me to curl up beside Goku's ludicrous warmth and somehow feel safer out in the middle of the wilderness. We were approaching the rendezvous point where Raditz would be waiting for us, prepared to strike the compound and free the Saiyans. Our duffel bag of money was still nearly full thanks to us being forced to avoid the luxuries of hotel suites and instead stick to camping far away from civilization.

It was our last night together before the attack. We were huddled together beside the fire, stomachs full of food Goku had collected and chests tight with worry. Goku was too nervous to even pester me for sex, which he had done frequently ever since we admitted our feelings to one another. He never spoke of it but I didn't think that he would—emotions weren't his strong suit. I was happy to lie beside him after our lovemaking and listen to his heart pounding rather than hear a tearful confession.

Our tails were wound together in a loose embrace, gracefully draped between us. Mine was becoming less of a burden as I learned how it worked and how to control it. Now I could pick small objects up and keep it securely around my waist when we had to risk going into small towns.

Goku shifted beside me and kissed the crown of my skull. I couldn't see him because my face was buried in his gi but I smiled into it and moved closer to him. One of his strong arms extended behind my back to press me even nearer and he inhaled the scent of my hair deeply. I felt his tail twitch.

"We're nearly there," he murmured.

I nodded. "Guess so. They all better appreciate the hell we've been through to help them."

Neither of us said anything for a while. The fire crackled quietly behind my back, slowly dying without enough wood to burn. It cast pleasant warmth over us that made my eyelids droop. One more night before we met all of the Saiyans and risked our lives escaping with them. I hoped we'd all make it in the end but I had a few doubts I wouldn't tell Goku about.

"You'll be fine," he said suddenly, as if he were reading my mind. "When the moon is full we only attack humans, not our own kind. You won't hurt anyone worth keeping alive. In the Oozaru form we'll be able to tear through the entire compound in fifteen minutes flat."

"I know but I still have some moral complications about slaughtering innocent people. They're just doing their jobs and trying to protect society from you brutes."

He suddenly turned on his back and pulled me on top of him so we were eye to eye. A small smile spread across his face. "You keep forgetting you're a 'brute,' too. We'll be merciful to the Earthlings after we enslave them. I'll have a level-headed queen by my side, after all."

I blinked at him and sat up, straddling his hips. "Who? Me? I don't want to help you overthrow civilization. Humans are bad sometimes and what they did to you isn't right but I don't think they deserve to have everything they care about torn apart before their eyes. Do you really feel that way?"

Goku reached up to curl my hair around his index finger, completely at ease. "Harper, the universe is much bigger than you think. These sorts of things happen all the time. Did you think you could return to your little apartment in Vermont when all of this was over? Did you ever believe this was that simple; that insignificant? You are in the middle of an all-out war and, incidentally, you're a part of what you perceive to be the 'bad' side. The mark forms a bond deeper than you can imagine."

"I was hoping it would all go back to normal," I admitted, rubbing my neck when the mark began to tingle. "But I suppose that's wishful thinking. Just promise me you won't be too hard on them when everything is said and done. The majority of people are good."

"I'll try my best, love. Go to sleep. We have to meet my brother at the rendezvous point and organize a plan of attack before tomorrow night. Our killing sprees won't end for a very long time."

I bit the inside of my cheek and lay down on top of him again, shortly closing my eyes and focusing on the warmth of the fire against my skin. Goku's chest rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern, slowly coaxing me to a deep sleep amidst the chorus of crickets and other such nocturnal creatures…

Then I felt Goku's fingers in my hair and felt his lips sucking on my neck. The sleepiness ebbed away and I whimpered in frustration—why did he have to start something when I was half asleep?! He growled and rolled over to pin me beneath him, grinning at my pouted lower lip before taking it gently between his teeth. My eyes rolled back and I desperately wished my body would either wake up or just drop off to sleep suddenly. Tired sex in the middle of nowhere probably wouldn't be too much fun.

"Didn't you tell me to go to sleep?" I murmured.

"I don't recall," he said with a grin. "I guess it doesn't matter now."

Goku slowly ground into me, drawing whines from my throat. I wrapped my legs around his waist and struggled to keep my eyes open—

"Can you two get a room?!"

I knew that voice.

Across the clearing stood two very familiar people who were, to my surprise, holding hands. Goku sat back to let me leap to my feet and I ran through the damp grass with my arms outstretched, inviting Mia to leave Radtiz's side and give me a hug I had been dying for. She glanced up at him and he unwillingly released her hand, allowing us to embrace tightly in a mixture of laughter and apologies and questions. I was so elated I could've kissed her.

"You're with Radtiz!" I stated more than asked.

Mia nodded, smiling. "We sort of bonded. He said you guys are planning to set their friends free and I had to tag along."

"But… you were engaged. Did you break it off?" I had backed up slightly and was holding Mia's hands tightly in my own. I could feel Goku approaching.

"Of course I did. It wasn't easy but it had to be done. I guess that's how it is when you meet the right person you've been waiting for." Mia turned to wink at Raditz who blushed and awkwardly looked away. "Anyway, Raditz filled me in on everything that's been happening. I'm so glad I don't have to be in the dark anymore. I knew you were hiding something more from us than you let on."

"What tipped you off?" I asked.

"Probably _Steve's _behavior. You wouldn't put up with that kind of nonsense from any regular guy. That and I was pretty sure I saw his tail once or twice."

Goku wound an arm around my waist. "Hmph. Took you long enough. We still have to wait another day to attack the compound. Mia will need to stay in town or we might end up hurting her."

Raditz looked up to the sky as if he had to confirm the moon was nearly full. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking… perhaps I should have left her in Vermont."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Mia said. "I'll stay out of the fray, considering I don't have a cool tail like you guys. I always knew there was something different about you, Harper. Ah, it's like a breath of fresh air having all my suspicions and thoughts finally put to rest. Don't you guys feel better?"

"I was just about to feel better," Goku said, pressing his fingertips into my hip.

We returned to the dying fire and decided to open up the capsule house Raditz had bequeathed to us. It was too late for us to get any real planning done so we all piled into the house and took to our separate bedrooms. I had so many questions for my sister but they would have to wait until morning, when we'd all had a good night's rest and could think more clearly.

I excitedly sank into bed with Goku, practically ignoring his obvious attempt to get me in the mood. I was nearly absent during our lovemaking as I wondered over and over about how our lives were about to completely change. He kissed me and growled to catch my attention towards the end, once again failing to withdraw at the end. I clutched his broad back and tiredly reminded myself to reprimand him for being so irresponsible. We were trying to save the Saiyans, not start a family.

As we drifted off to sleep, I idly drew my fingers through his thick black hair. "I'm so happy about Mia. I hope she stays with us."

There was a pleasant warmth in my belly. I sighed and rested a hand on my stomach and was surprised to feel Goku's slip over top of mine. He kissed the tip of my nose.

"Me too," he said. "We're going to need another female."

I instantly scowled. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? My sister is a human. Both of us were orphans so we aren't blood related. You can't get any Saiyans out of her."

A self-satisfied smirk spread across Goku's face. "That's not what I meant."

There wasn't another moment to question him further.

We both heard a scream from the other side of the small house that had Goku out of bed in record time. He had hardly taken two steps when he was suddenly howling in pain, electrocuted by an unseen force that sent him toppling to the floor. I shrieked in surprise and instinctively got out of bed to kneel beside him on the floor, draping my arms across him to feel for a pulse.

I heard the crackling of electricity intermingled with terrified screams, leaving me to faint beside my fallen mate. As the world turned black, I saw a tall woman with blue hair holding a cigarette. She smiled.

"Welcome home, Harper."


	20. Case File 020 - Mens Rea

**A/N:** Sweet Jesus, I'm sorry about this, guys. I've been so torn up and busy over the past month working and trying to get ready for college. I've resumed some of my original fiction as well and I'm terrible at balancing this with that. Today I was looking at some DBZ fanart and I was like "Ugh, I NEED to write fanfiction" so here I am!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 020 - _Mens Rea_

* * *

_Beep… beep… beep…_

"…She's perfect. Kakarot has done more for us in these past months than we could've ever accomplished on our own."

_Beep… beep… beep…_

Feet shuffled on a hard stone floor. My mouth was dry and sticky, conveniently melding my lips together and keeping them painfully shut. White noise rang in my ears as I slowly crawled back into consciousness relying solely on my dwindling will power. Where was he? Where was my Goku?

_Beep… Beep… Beep…_

"The full moon is coming tomorrow night so we need to make sure she's properly contained. As of right now, she poses no threat to us or the compound. Keep an eye on the other Saiyans and keep me updated on the progress of the other human girl."

The voice was enough to draw a feral growl from my mouth, tearing apart the swollen skin. It was the same voice of the blue-haired woman who had captured all of us. The scent of cigarette smoke burned my nostrils as I slowly dragged myself up, unable to see or use the walls to help. Someone gasped across the room and I heard fingers flying across a keyboard.

There was a bored sigh. "Will all of you relax? She can hardly move."

I gnashed my teeth together to endure the blistering agony that burned through my nerves as I fully pushed myself into a sitting position, promptly collapsing against a cell wall. My heart pattered weakly and I struggled to breathe. What the hell was wrong with me? I was a pure Saiyan now. That kind of thing was supposed to come easily to us.

Heels clacked across the floor slowly as the cigarette smoker approached. I pushed my hair out of my eyes and rubbed them to make sure I was prepared for the bright lights. What if they killed him? What if my Goku was gone and left me all alone with the terrible scientists? Reluctantly, I opened my eyes.

It was a big white room with machines all around the walls that had all sorts of blinking lights and beeping noises coming from them. The ceiling had a skylight that revealed it was morning. A group of five men were standing in silent terror by a big computer but I was more concerned with the long graceful legs in front of my cage. Cigarette ashes dropped to the ground.

It was the blue-haired woman who had destroyed our plans. She was so beautiful that I found it hard to believe she was so damn evil. A strained smile spread across her face and she tapped her cigarette over the bars of my cage, making more ash sprinkle down. I growled.

"Oh please, I've dealt with that charade my entire life." She took a drag from her smoke and dashed it out on the ground, now grinning. "I'm sure Kakarot has told you my name. I'm Bulma, the leader of this fine organization. I took up my father's work after he passed away. And you must be the illustrious Harper Williams, the hidden Saiyan we've been searching for. Pleased to meet you."

I swallowed but my voice still cracked. "Piss off. What did you do with Goku?"

"Hm? Oh, what a cute pet name. He's alive. I can't go destroying him when he's already bitten you. That would just be a waste of resources, and all of mine are running dry."

"You better let him go or I'll break out of here and snap your neck." I was suddenly thrown into a coughing fit, significantly dampening the effect of my threat.

Bulma crouched down, blue eyes glittering with malice. "Yes, we saw that Kakarot drew out your Saiyan side. An unfortunate side effect of the disgusting mark you have on your collarbone. But not to worry, my team and I took the proper steps to nullify your powers but still keep what we need."

That was when I became acutely aware that something was missing. My eyes widened in horror and Bulma's grin likewise developed into a leer as my hand moved behind me to feel for a tail. There was nothing left, not even a stump to show I had ever had it. Adrenaline invigorated me to stand and I turned in circles trying to see if she had somehow hidden it from view.

Humiliated, I collapsed back on the floor of my cage and hid my face in my hands so she wouldn't see my tears. I'd lost my tail. It was the part of me that gave me the ability to become the oozaru and help the others destroy the compound. Now I was excess baggage, marring their chances of escaping without a scratch when the moon came around. I couldn't believe how much I missed my fifth appendage.

She'd ripped it off. She tore off a part of me like I was some kind of defective doll in a toy store and thrown it in the garbage. I felt like a freak; some kind of genetic mix-up that wasn't supposed to exist. My roiling emotions made my shoulders quiver and I began to cry softly into my palm.

"Are you crying?" Bulma asked, pouting her lower lip. She rose to her feet again and pulled a cigarette out of the breast pocket of her lab coat, clearly a vicious chain-smoker. "That isn't the worst of it. We've successfully repressed your Saiyan side to make you just an ordinary human except with one special exception. I think it's better for you to see what I'm talking about."

She turned and walked away, snapping her fingers at the other scientists. I watched them hurry to the computers and work with the buttons until a large gurney emerged near the center of the room and a spotlight flickered on overhead, bathing it in blinding light. Terrified, I pressed myself against the bars of the cage and shook my head rapidly back and forth as two of them walked toward me. No, no, no…

The door opened and they both reached in the drag me out kicking and screaming, utterly devoid of emotion. I rolled on my stomach and held onto the rim of the cage until it sank into my fingertips and made them bleed, forcing one of them to make me let go. They had me in a white hospital gown that didn't do much to cover up my body as I thrashed wildly for a means to escape. I missed my short-lived Saiyan strength. Even more so, I missed my Goku.

The two men dropped me on the table and they swarmed around me like flies. I shrieked and writhed while they secured my wrists and ankles down with metal cuffs to keep me firmly pinned to the gurney. Bulma circled around like a vulture, casually smoking her cigarette.

They yanked the gown up to my stomach, leaving me painfully exposed otherwise, and I screamed even harder despite the burning in my throat. One of the men sat beside me on a stool and slathered some kind of clear liquid on my lower abdomen while another readied a short white object. A TV was turned to face me. Soon, all that could be heard was my horrified begging for help. I wasn't concerned with being a tough girl. I wanted my Goku back.

Bulma suddenly turned and I heard a door shut. "Oh, Chi-Chi! You were just about to miss the show. Want to come watch with me or have you not finished with Kakarot?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

My terror increased tenfold when I saw Chi-Chi approach, hair messy and frazzled rather than pulled in a tight ponytail. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt that were both likewise askew and I saw a big, red bite mark on the side of her neck. Her cold eyes raked down my body and she scowled.

"How are things going with Kakarot so far?" Bulma asked.

Chi shrugged, lip curled in revulsion. "Poorly. He's resisting me like never before and insists he can't mark me like he did her. I never imagined I'd have to force Kakarot into bed but there's a first time for everything. I see our precious Harper has finally awoken from her nap. May I perform the inner exam?" She slammed her hands down on the gurney near my feet. "I'd love to see the little peanut."

My fear was obliterated in an instant, replaced by boiling anger. I tried to sit up and threw myself into the manacles on my wrist. "What the hell are you doing to Goku?! I swear to god, if you hurt him I'm going to tear out your heart and feed it to you!"

Chi-Chi walked around the side of the gurney to where my head was and gently stroked my mark with her fingertips before digging her nails deep into my flesh and dragging upwards. I screamed and tried to bite her but one of the scientists held my head so I was reduced to agonized sobs yet again.

She leaned down to my ear, talons still entrenched in my skin. "_Kakarot _belongs to me, not some floozy from a redneck town. We grew up together, played together, and eventually fucked one another. You'll be tossed out on the street when you lose your usefulness but I will always have a past and a _son _with the man you think is your personal property.

I'd never hated anyone with such a fiery passion. I was a prisoner to a bunch of crazy people, one of which ripped her nails out of my flesh like I was a voodoo doll. My body trembled in fear and I struggled not to think of my Goku. He was probably just as upset and dealing with the same torment. I had no idea what Chi-Chi had done but I had a feeling Goku would never want to talk about it.

If I ever saw Gohan I would break the kid's neck myself.

The white object was placed to my abdomen and my head was forced to turn to the TV. I could hardly see anything through my tears but it soon became obvious what I was looking at.

There was a silhouette of black around a small white form that had some obvious characteristics already. Bulma snatched a pencil from one of the scientists and pointed to the thing, causing Chi-Chi to look away at the floor. If I had any saliva left in my mouth I would've choked.

"This is your fetus," Bulma said, exhaling a trail of smoke. "Two weeks old but Saiyan pregnancies are short. There's already a little tail growing out of his backside. We don't want to terminate your current pregnancy but we'd like to collect your eggs to create our own pure-bloods. It puts us in a bit of a pickle, Harper, and I know someone who would like to be done with you."

I stared in slack-jawed awe at the tiny creature living inside me. The scientist only moved the ultrasound around for a bit more before it was cut off and I could no longer see the baby I had created with Goku. I… I was pregnant. That hadn't been in my plans. Was I even ready to be a parent? What would Bulma and her cronies do to our child if he was born in the complex?

_He_. Of course it was a boy. Goku wouldn't have it any other way. I gazed blankly at the ceiling while Bulma continued talking, trying to let everything sink in. Had they told him yet? Probably not. It would make him too upset and violent. I swallowed hard and being half-naked became the last of my concerns.

I was _pregnant_. My first time having sex with Goku had been that one in a thousand chance for a baby to be created. I knew it was a bad idea but I thought the odds were so low that it wouldn't matter too much. But after the first time we had sex a lot more frequently and… Jesus Christ, I was _pregnant _with an alien child. Not just any kid: one from a different fucking planet.

The snap of latex gloves brought me back to reality. My feet were being secured in stirrups and there was a sinister metal object in Bulma's hands. I imagined I turned white as a ghost.

She put on a mask. "Well we need to make sure everything's okay for your little bundle of joy. After all, he's going to have _tons _of brothers pretty soon."

A door on the other side of the room burst open, sending in a flood of flickering red light. Bulma whirled around and set her hands impatiently on her hips.

"What's the problem?" she hissed.

"Ma'am, Vegeta has escaped his cell and is moving on to free the others! We've tried to contain him but the full moon is tonight and—"

"Oh _hell_." She ripped off the gloves and threw them down on the floor then pointed to me. "Put her back in her cell and don't let anyone in this room no matter what. I need to go contain Vegeta before he breaks Kakarot free and destroys all our plans. Chi-Chi, you stay here to guard Harper."

The manacles around my wrists and ankles were lifted and I was dragged to my feet again, hurriedly thrown back in my cell. Chi exchanged words with the scientists as they all readied heavy-duty guns and followed Bulma out of the room into the hallway. The door groaned shut behind them, leaving me clutching the cell bars in excitement. Was Goku going to escape?

Chi-Chi sat on the gurney, readying a small pistol. "If Kakarot won't give me what I want, I'll take what he loves in front of his eyes."


	21. Case File 021 - Viva La Revolución

**A/N:** Whew, finally starting to wind things down. There should only be a few more chapters before I can focus exclusively on the new stuff. But I'm going away to school in a month so updates will definitely slow down then.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

**-MalRev**

* * *

**PROJECT OOZARU**

Case File 021 - _Viva La Revolución_

* * *

The laboratory was flooded with alarms and flashing red lights alerting us that the Saiyans had escaped. I clutched the bars of my cage, straining to see the door in the event that Goku came bursting through to rescue me. We had so much to talk about now. He promised he would save me if anything happened and if Bulma had told him I was pregnant, he'd be even more inclined to help.

My powers had been stripped from my body while I was unconscious. I didn't have a tail that flicked irately when I saw Chi-Chi slowly pacing in front of me, holding her pistol like it made a difference. The foreign strength that swirled in my gut was gone and I had lost the desire to dominate. All I wanted now was to see Goku again. If I was a Saiyan, I would've transformed like the rest of them.

Chi-Chi paused to look down at me. "Sit back and relax. Bulma is sending all available personnel to capture Kakarot first so I doubt he'll be breaking in to see us."

"Then why do you look so nervous?" I asked.

She knelt down, idly running her fingertips along the barrel of the gun. Her smile was acidic enough to melt bone. "It amuses me to no end that you've hardly known Kakarot for three months and have decided you have a claim over him. Why? Because he bit you like a wild animal? I grew up alongside him in this facility. We trained together and no matter what way he puts it, fell in love."

"What a nice story. It's too bad the sight of you makes him sick now."

"Do you know where the human name he uses came from? I've noticed that he's fully shifted to pretending he isn't a Saiyan and the two of you think it's some kind of special bond." Chi-Chi leaned closer and tapped my nose with the tip of her nail. "I gave that name to Kakarot when we were ten years old. Goku. We used it in secret for a while because it wasn't appropriate for us to fraternize."

"If you cared about him so much you wouldn't torment him about Gohan," I said. "I don't care about your past. Right now, you're threatening both of us and I don't fucking like it."

"What a foul mouth. Maybe I'll cut out your tongue."

Screams echoed from the hallways and Chi-Chi suddenly got to her feet, face hard and focused. There was rapid gun fire before a horrible roar that I recalled from the last full moon when Goku had transformed into the Oozaru. Excited, I reached an arm out of the cage and waved it madly.

"Goku!" I screamed. "I'm in here!"

A huge dent suddenly appeared in the door. Chi cocked her gun and aimed it steadily as more and more dents appeared with low booms. Whoever was on the other side was panting heavily and growling under their breath. Both of us shrieked when nails were dragged down the metal, generating a harsh screech that rang through the laboratory.

Chi-Chi cackled, beginning to lose her focus. A few strands of hair in her ponytail flew in her face. "You'll never break it down! This entire facility was constructed to contain all of you! Don't think for one second that you're getting in here too—"

The door violently blew off the hinges and flew across the room to smash a hole in the wall on the other side. Chi-Chi narrowly avoided being crushed and snarled furiously as a hulking figure stepped inside, casually bending the metal doorframe to make enough room for himself. The alarms kicked it up a notch to a deafening shrill warning as the lights flickered before going out completely. We were plunged into darkness only illuminated by the flashing emergency lights.

Chi's hands shook. A few shots were fired and I heard the bullets clatter to the ground. She swore and pulled back the pistol to add more while the intruder moved closer and closer, laughing to themselves. It was hard to tell if it was Goku. I prayed one of the other Saiyans hadn't come to find me.

Slowly, she began to back up, still shooting at whoever had come to save me. I struggled to see but it was far too dark and my human eyes couldn't perceive the slightest detail. Chi-Chi stumbled over a broken piece of the wall and fell on her behind, sending the gun flying across the floor. Before she could lift a finger the aggressor grabbed her by the neck and hoisted her into the air.

It definitely wasn't Goku.

This Saiyan had tall, pointy hair and a receding hairline that made him look distinctly older. He grinned up at Chi-Chi in a cruel way that I had never seen on Goku's face before. His teeth were elongated, covered in fresh blood and the weird blue uniform he was wearing was likewise stained. His red eyes widened with excitement when tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"What's the matter?" he asked in a cold, rough voice. "Expecting someone else?"

"Of course they sent you to get her. You're always looking to collect the prize, Vegeta." She laughed through her tears, sneering at him. "Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on Bulma? You wouldn't want any of the others to snap her neck while you're gone."

"The compound is already ours. Bulma has been set aside for safekeeping and most of your cohorts have had their heads torn from their bodies. It was a real bloodbath. But now, Kakarot is busy collecting his son and requested that the strongest in our clan come to retrieve the most important piece of the puzzle; the key to rebuilding our race. Thank you for keeping her safe."

"Kill me already, you sadistic bastard!"

Vegeta grinned. "I'm not going to kill you. I'm leaving you for Kakarot."

The Saiyan suddenly threw her to the ground and stomped on her leg, resulting in a horrible snapping sound that was nearly drowned out by the alarms. Chi-Chi screamed in agony and curled into a ball while Vegeta spat on her and turned to face me. His tail twisted in knots behind him.

I returned his steely gaze. All my time with Goku had taught me to never buckle under their intimidation no matter how frightening they seemed. It was an open invitation to be killed. The Saiyan race was vastly different from humans and distinctly more animalistic. They had rules I had to obey.

Vegeta wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth. "Hmph, the way Kakarot spoke of you I expected much more."

"Likewise. Where is he, anyway? Getting Gohan?"

"Obviously. The two of them should be here any minute now. Gohan has a hard time controlling himself." His smile widened and he crouched down in front of my cage. "Kakarot told all of us that you have a weak stomach. That doesn't make you much of a Saiyan."

A scowl settled on my face. No, it didn't, but I never wanted to be one if it meant I had to delight in tormenting people. "Big deal. Let me out."

The bars of the cage were nothing to Vegeta's Oozaru form. He bent them wide enough that I could slip out and dragged Chi-Chi over by the hair to throw her inside, promptly forcing it shut behind her. She was still sobbing in pain and I felt bad for her—she'd lost everything so quickly. But it had been her choice. We all had free will to decide what was right and what was wrong.

I was still in my hospital gown, miserable and cold in the lab without anything more to wear. Vegeta circled around me a few times with his arms crossed and stopped in front of my again to brush my hair back, exposing the blackened mark. He raised an eyebrow.

Annoyed, I batted his hands away and pulled my hair over it. It was beginning to burn again and not in the way it did when Goku was nearby. There was something else wrong; maybe because I had become a human again. Goku warned me that a Saiyan mark would poison any normal person…

"Typical Kakarot," Vegeta muttered. "He doesn't understand the concept of sharing the spoils."

But there was something different about this Saiyan. His Oozaru form wasn't as frightening as Goku's and he had a lot of control over himself. I cocked my head, brow furrowed, and Vegeta seemed to get the hint. He rolled his red eyes and pointed to his chest.

"I'm royalty," he said, "and I was taught to control myself. I don't lose my mind like the others but they're under my control, so none of them can cause either of us harm." He made a disgusted look at my mark and turned to face the door. "Kakarot will pay for his insolence. We had a deal that the last female would be reserved for the prince but I guess that just slipped his mind. Fool."

"No, I'm not being traded around like a prized bitch. That's disgusting."

"I don't want to _sleep_ with you," he snapped, reddening a bit. "Don't you think we've more advanced methods than that? All we needed were a few eggs to grow our own army but Kakarot spoiled it all by impregnating you. Now we have to wait for six months."

I blinked in surprise. "Six months? That's it?"

Vegeta shifted impatiently, glaring at the door. "Yes, yes, that's it. If you have any more stupid questions save them for Nappa. He knows more about Saiyan society than I can remember."

The alarms were suddenly cut off, sending us into silence. Chi-Chi was still whimpering in the cell. I nervously bit at my nails and squealed with joy when a familiar face finally appeared in the doorway.

Goku was covered in blood just like Vegeta. His eyes flickered between us for any signs of a struggle before he moved forward into the room with someone small tailing behind him. I felt the uncomfortable twisting in my heart at the sight of Gohan tagging along behind his father, gripping the leg of his pants in fear. He looked much less frightening than Goku because of how small he was.

In another instant I was in Goku's arms; the only place I wanted to be for the rest of my life. I burst into tears and he growled a bit but hugged my tighter, smearing my gown with blood. All of my fear evaporated when we were finally reunited and being a human again suddenly didn't feel as daunting. Goku released me to push my hair away from my face and kissed me hard on the lips. Pain radiated through my mark and down my chest.

I winced. "Goku, it's starting to hurt again."

He held me at arm's length and gently touched the mark, which had popped out from my skin and begun to pulsate. "You're a human again. We'll have to get answers from Bulma. Did they do anything else to you while I was gone? Take anything? Give you anything?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm… I'm assuming they told you about the other thing, right?"

"Yeah, which was why I was so worried." Goku ran a hand through his hair and stepped aside, beckoning his son forward. "Gohan, do you want to meet Harper? I need to talk to mommy for a while so why don't you sit with her?"

The small child bared his teeth until Vegeta smacked him upside the head. He immediately calmed down, clasping his small hands in front of himself and bowing slightly. I glanced up at Goku for reassurance but he was making his way over to Chi-Chi, who's breathing was becoming labored. It was meant to be a private conversation. I could bear to watch Gohan until they were done.

I sat on the floor and smiled at him but he only blinked back at me in terror, desperate for his father. He had a tail like Goku's that shivered and twitched from his emotions.

"Want to sit with me?" I asked. "I'm a human, just like your mom."

Gohan wrung his hands but the offer seemed to tempt him. He was just a kid looking for someone to comfort him. He took a few careful steps forward before running into my arms and burying his face in my neck, sobbing moments later. Vegeta made a gagging noise but it didn't bother me. I gently stroked Gohan's head and murmured to him, not nearly as repulsed by him as I imagined.

He sniffled pitifully. "I'm sorry my mommy was so mean to you, Miss Harper. Daddy said I can live with both of you forever and ever and never have to fight again."

"Don't count on it," Vegeta said icily.

I picked up a piece of rubble and chucked it at the Saiyan's head, sticking out my tongue. "No, Gohan, we won't make you fight." I shifted him in my lap so I could see his face and smiled. "You're very lucky to have such a great dad and even luckier to be half human. You can choose to do whatever you want."

"Mr. Piccolo taught me a lot of things, like how to read and write when I wasn't doing the tests. Is Mr. Piccolo going to live with us, too? What's going to happen to mommy?"

"We'll figure it all out. I promise."

It took a while for Goku to finish talking to Chi-Chi. When he finally came back, his face was hardened and cold and I could still hear her crying in the cage. He leaned down to scoop Gohan from my lap and hugged his son tightly to his chest while Vegeta grew more and more disgusted by all the emotion we were showing. The royal Saiyan kicked a pebble at the computer that destroyed the screen.

But Goku turned to me instead of acknowledging his fellow Saiyan. "Harper, I want you to take Gohan and leave the compound. We're going to clean it out and make sure there aren't any humans hanging around. We can talk things over after it's all said and done."

"And we can discuss how you stole shared property from all of us," Vegeta said. "The other men aren't happy. You'll have to answer to them."

"Did they catch Mia?" I asked, suddenly remembering my adoptive sister. There had been so much noise and light that I couldn't tell.

"Yes but she's safe with Raditz." Goku kissed Gohan's forehead, a rare display of affection, and passed him back to me, where he nestled into my arms. "Go, Harper. The two of you can camp outside for the night while we finish up. I still have a few things to discuss with Chi-Chi when she's a bit saner."

The kid was sort of heavy and had his arms wrapped around my aching neck. I scowled. "Don't you think you and I have more important things to deal with? I'm pregnant and you're asking me to watch your half-Saiyan kid who may or may not kill me in the middle of the night. I'm a human now, Goku. I break just as easily as the rest of them."

"You didn't tell her?" Vegeta asked with a grin. "How rude, Kakarot."

"Tell me what?" I demanded.

Goku rubbed the back of his neck and began to speak but laughter in the doorway cut him off. I peered over his shoulder to see more people had arrived, most of them with swishing tails. But there was one in the front that particularly caught my eye and I gasped.

Mia had her hands on her hips and the same beastly smile at the rest of them. Her ears were tapered to a point and talons curved over her blue outfit that was a lot like Vegeta's. Behind her, Raditz put his hands on her shoulders and leveled his eyes with Vegeta like he found him to be a threat.

"Nice to see you, Harper," Mia said. She wrapped her tail around her waist.

My jaw nearly dropped to the floor.


End file.
